


As Time Goes On

by tiggertink08



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Gen, Gun Violence, Light BDSM, Miraculous Team, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-08-03 16:26:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 66,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16329527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiggertink08/pseuds/tiggertink08
Summary: After 3 long years, Hawkmoth is finally defeated, but before Ladybug can reveal herself to her partner, Chat Noir disappears.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this chapter is just laying the groundwork for the rest of the story. The 'prologue' if you will.
> 
> Next chapter will pick up after a (big) time jump, so beware!

It was over.

 

Finally, after all this time, it was over. 

 

Ladybug looked around at her teammates with a relieved but grave expression. As of right now, she was the only one who knew all of their identities, and she knew they were all sharing similar feelings. It was a bittersweet victory. The fight was over, Hawkmoth was defeated. Paris could rest easy again. But, now that they knew the man's true identity, the life of one of their closest friends would never be the same again. 

_Poor Adrien._

Her heart went out to one of the sweetest boys she had ever known. All his life, all he'd ever done was strive to earn his father's approval and affection. In the end, his father had been the one responsible for terrorizing the city for the last three years. Instead of grieving the loss of his wife with his son who had just lost his mother, he'd resorted to this. 

Her crippling crush on the young model had faded as she got to know him. It wasn't that she wasn't still interested in him, she'd just learned to temper her enthusiasm and overwhelming reactions to him with time. He was one of her best friends now, though she certainly wouldn't have objected to being more. 

Conversely, as her crush on Adrien evened out, her affection for her leather clad partner, grew. 

Speaking of Chat...

Ladybug glanced around the rooftop they'd been standing on, her eyes flitting over her other teammates, entirely missing him. It wasn't hard to spot him usually, all black suit, golden blond hair and glowing green eyes, and yet, he was nowhere in sight.

"Where'd he go?" she asked no one in particular. Her teammates began scanning the crowds that had gathered below and the surrounding rooftops, but no one could find him.

Sliding open her yo-yo, she punched the button to dial her partner but he didn't answer. Again, and again she tried calling, but to no avail. She started to panic a little. 

_Had he been hurt? Was he alright? Had he detransformed already?_

Her earrings beeped, as did the miraculous' of her team, reminding her they needed to get out of sight soon. It may be safer for them to know each other's identities now, but the rest of the world didn't need to. 

"I need to get this back to Master Fu," she announced, clutching the recovered Moth miraculous in her hand. "Follow me. I think it's time you all met him."

She and her team headed off across the skyline of Paris, while the crowd below cheered their thanks. One by one, they jumped through the window to Master Fu's studio, which was thankfully empty, their transformations dropping as they gathered around the pallet on the floor. 

"Dupain-Cheng?!" Chloe was the first to react, her astonished voice ringing out. "Wh-what?! I don't believe it!  _You're_ Ladybug?!"

Marinette smiled sheepishly as Nino and Alya gaped at her as well. After a moment, Alya recovered, muttered to herself. "Sooo many things make sense now."

Nino just smiled and held out his hand for a fist bump. "Can't say I'm entirely surprised. I always knew you were a bad ass."

" _You're_ Ladybug?  _You?"_ Chloe was obviously still having trouble. 

"Why exactly did you continue to let her use the bee miraculous again?" Alya asked, leaning in to Marinette's side, though she hadn't bothered to lower her voice.

"Because, I saw her potential, and I think she's lived up to it over the years. Don't you?" She smiled gently at Chloe, who blinked back at her, still in shock. After a moment, the girl's features softened slightly.

"Well of course I have potential. You'd have to be blind not to notice." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, pushing her nose in the air.  

Marinette sighed and shook her head while Nino and Alya rolled their eyes. It was obvious Chloe was flattered, and as much as progress as she had made the last few years, Marinette knew it would be a cold day in hell before Chloe ever admitted how much she appreciated her trust and belief in her.

Master Fu appeared then, no doubt summoned by their chatter. 

"Marinette," he greeted, his eyes drifting to the jewel she held out in her hand. "You've succeeded I see. Thank you."

"It's our pleasure Master. I couldn't have done it without my team. Before Nooroo retired into the miraculous, he told me the peacock was hidden in a vault at the Agreste mansion. Apparently Mr Agreste has had it all this time. I can retrieve it later for you, but I wanted to return this first. Poor thing deserves some rest."

He nodded solemnly, opening the compartment hidden under his gramophone, and returning the brooch to it's rightful place in the Miraculous box. "So, you were right in your first guess then. It was indeed Mr Agreste."

The group looked at her questioningly. "Yes, I'm afraid so. After he was akumatized, Chat and I had ruled him out, but I suppose that shows just how far he was willing to go to stay hidden."

"You mean," Alya asked, readjusting the glasses on her nose. "You suspected Gabriel from the beginning? We've been this close to him and missing him all this time, because he akumatized  _himself?_ "

"Not exactly. We had no idea who he was, until we found the grimoire he'd hidden in his vault. The one Adrien got in trouble for losing?"

"The super important book of his father's was a  _grimoire?_ Like, a witch's spell book?"

"Sort of, it's more like a book describing the various powers of the miraculous. It also had the recipes for the potions we use to give our kwamis special powers. Like our water and ice powers."

"So... I'm guessing the grimoire went missing the same time as the moth and peacock miraculous then?" Alya was in full journalist mode now. 

"Yes," Master Fu answered. "When Marinette and Tikki discovered the book, we theorized that whoever had it, must also have had the miraculous. It seems Mr Agreste made the same conclusion, hence he was akumatized soon after to throw off suspicion."

A moment of silence followed as they all digested that. They had been so close to solving it all over two years ago. So much anxiety and devastation could have been avoided. But none of them were to blame. Gabriel had played his cards well. 

"Where is your partner Marinette?" Master Fu asked, seemingly only just noticing Chat Noir's absence. 

"I-I don't know. He disappeared shortly after Gabriel was taken into custody. None of us even saw him leave."

Master Fu nodded silently. 

"Do- I mean, you know who he is, Master. Can't you tell us? I-we- just want to make sure he's alright."

The old man smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry. If he did not wish to reveal himself to you, it is not my place to do so. But, yes, I know who he is, and I assure you, I will check that he is well myself. I promise."

Marinette frowned but nodded. With any luck, perhaps her partner would drop by later for a late night chat as he did from time to time. He'd always been the one to try and convince her to share their identities, but if he truly had changed his mind, she would respect his wishes. She just wanted to know he was ok. 

"Did you want us to return our miraculous? Now that the Hawkmoth has been defeated?" She asked.

"I will leave that decision up to you Marinette. Hawkmoth may be gone, but there may yet be a time when Paris needs it's heroes again." He looked around the room at the rest of her team. "Ladybug chose each of you for a reason. She has chosen her allies well, and each of you has proven your worth as far as I am concerned."

A round of blushes followed his praise, as he turned his eyes back to Marinette. "I have taught you as much as I could over the years. I think now, it is time for me to retire. You are now the new guardian, and what happens with the miraculous moving forward is for you to decide. I have every faith you will do well." He bowed respectfully to her, and she was too stunned at the moment to do other than return it. 

"Are you sure Master?"

"I am sure. Thanks to you and your friends, the miraculous have all been restored. I now leave their care in your more than capable hands. Of course, you know you can always call on me if you have any questions. I will always help you."

"Thank you Master," she bowed to him again, blinking back tears. The kwamis that had been floating at their owners sides throughout their discussion, suddenly swarmed Master Fu, saying their goodbyes, before he gently ushered them all out of his home, promising to deliver the miraculous box to Marinette after the peacock and the grimoire had been retrieved. 

They wandered blindly through the streets, all of them still processing the days events, only to find themselves outside of the Dupain-Cheng bakery. It seemed as good a place as any to go, so, with silent agreement, they all headed inside. 

Tom and Sabine welcomed them all warmly, though they were both rather shocked to see Chloe among them, and they were soon ushered upstairs where Sabine served them an assortments of pastries and even a bottle of champagne to celebrate, as much of the city was now doing. None of them felt much like celebrating however and simply sat in near silence, while allowing their kwamis to enjoy the feast. 

Nino tried calling Adrien and even left him a few messages, as did they all, but no one received a response. Not that they were entirely surprised. Later that evening, after Tom and Sabine had closed shop for the day, they all sat around the TV in shock as it was announced that Adrien's mother, Emilie Agreste, who had been missing for nearly four years now, had been found in a coffin like device underneath the Agreste mansion. The news anchor reported that she had appeared to be in a comatose state and was being transported to the hospital for further treatment. 

The rest of the news cast was mostly just replays of the story of Gabriel Agreste's arrest, and Tom reached for the remote to shut the TV off as they all sat in stunned silence. All this time, Adrien's father had  _known_ what had happened to his wife and had hidden it from everyone, including his son. The poor boy had grieved without any closure for years, and all the while, he was, quite literally, living right on top of her. 

Nino again tried to call Adrien, but again got no answer. Eventually, they all retired for the evening, Chloe calling her driver to pick her up while Nino and Alya opted to stay over. 

Despite her hopes, Chat Noir never landed on her balcony.

* * *

 

Ladybug and her team spent hours scouring the city, hoping to find Chat Noir. She had even waited around their favorite meet up spots, but he never showed and no matter how many times she called him, he never answered. She was equally disappointed that he never dropped by her balcony to visit her as Marinette either.

It was no surprise to anyone when Adrien was not present at school for the next week. Eventually word got around that he had withdrawn his attendance, no doubt in an effort to avoid the constant media attention. He still refused to answer anyones calls or messages, until finally, a few weeks later, Nino received word that Adrien's mother had passed away. 

The funeral was private, though all of Adrien's friends and classmates showed up to offer support from a distance. He didn't so much as acknowledge anyone, and by the next morning, the papers were announcing that the heir to the largest fashion empire in the country, had left Paris for good.

 

 


	2. Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picking up roughly eleven years after the 'prologue', this chapter lays a little more ground work for the main plot line.
> 
> Also, this is like the third story I've paired Chloe and Nathaniel in. Ever since I discovered that ship, I can't let it go.  
> Sorry, not sorry.

It was amazing how quickly time moved the older one got. Even more amazing, when you broke that time down into smaller slices, how much could change in such a short period. 

  * Eleven years ago, Ladybug and her team defeated Hawkmoth.


  * A year later, they graduated lycée and started university.


  * Five years ago, she was standing next to her best friends, Alya and Nino, as they said their vows.


  * Another two years and she was doing the same for her one time enemy, Chloe Bourgeois. 


  * Now, at twenty eight, Marinette wasn't sure life could get much better.



 

Sure, there were some things she wished were different (her love life for one), but overall, life was pretty good. 

Ladybug and her team (Team Miraculous, as they had since been dubbed), were still active. Though, these days, they were there for community morale more than anything. Alya and Nino had just announced that they were expecting their first child, and Marinette had already been asked to be "Tante Nette". The fashion label she had been working to get off the ground since university was finally gaining traction in the industry and the orders were rolling in. 

Life was good. 

 

* * *

 

"Hello peasants!" A bundle of yellow landed in the chair in the coffee shop beside Marinette with a dramatic sigh. "The awesomeness has arrived, you can stop being so lame now." Chloe flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder with her left hand, purposely flashing her ring. 

"Morning Chloe," Marinette greeted her with a fond eye roll. 

Nino grinned over his coffee mug from across the table while Alya scowled from her position, slumped over the table beside him. Poor thing was battling morning sickness something fierce. Nino, angel that he was, just rubbed her back and catered to her every whim. Marinette wasn't honestly sure who, of the two of them, was more excited about becoming a parent. 

"Marinette, you're coming to the gala this weekend right? There's going to be some big names there, you could use an opportunity like this."

It had taken some time, and a little work, but eventually, the two girls had been able to bury the hatchet, and had formed a comfortable, if not terribly close friendship. Chloe, through the influence of her superhero teammates, had slowly learned to change her attitude (mostly), and had even managed to shed some of the toxic people in her life. Namely, her mother. One of the things Marinette had been most proud of her for, however, was that she had managed to use her notoriety as one of Paris' most ~~in~~ famous heiresses and socialites, for the greater good. Over the last several years, especially after she got involved with her, now husband, Nate, she had worked with several philanthropic organizations.

The gala she mentioned, was to raise money for children's hospitals and was one of the most popular events of the year. It was one of the first times Marinette had received an actual invitation to one of the events, and with her growing business, she could hardly pass up the opportunity to network, despite the hefty price tag on dinner.  _All for a good cause right?_

"Yes of course, Chloe. I'll be there. Which reminds me, the alterations on your dress are just about finished, if you can make it in for another fitting this week?" Chloe had taken to wearing Marinette's designs at certain events recently. She was extremely grateful for the exposure, but Chloe was one of her more demanding clients, even if she was being afforded a hefty discount. This particular dress had been fresh off the runway of Marinette's latest show, and Chloe just  _had_ to have it, even though the model had been a full size smaller and several inches taller than Chloe. 

"Mmm..." Chloe hummed as she scrolled through her phone. "I can probably do Friday afternoon."

Marinette tried not to cringe. The event was Saturday evening and she still had several other designs to finish, including her own dress for the event, and that wouldn't leave much time to make any more corrections before Chloe would need the dress in time for the event. 

"Sure. Just make sure you call ahead before you come in so I can be ready for you." She made a mental note to set a reminder for herself to be ready for Chloe to arrive at any time, as she knew she would 'forget' to call.

"Sure, whatever." she waved a hand absently as she continued scrolling through her phone. 

Across the table, Alya was nursing a cup of ginger tea, her face still a little green, while Nino absently played with her hair and shared a smirk with Marinette.

* * *

 

Marinette tried to refrain from running her hands over her skirt yet again as she stood in front of the mirror for a final inspection. 

"Damn girl," Alya whistled from her spot on the couch. She had come over earlier in the afternoon and had been lounging there, flipping through magazines and browsing Netflix while Marinette flitted around her apartment getting ready for the gala.

She had to agree with her friend. The dress she'd chosen was a simple one, in an eye catching shade of red, but it did wonders for her figure. She looked good. What she didn't understand, was the sudden bout of nerves that hit her as soon as she was staring at her reflection. She was usually confident, and there wasn't anything particularly nerve wracking about this evening. She just needed to smile, look pretty, and chat up the right people. No sweat.

For some reason though, the strangest sense of foreboding had settled over her, and she couldn't account for it. 

"You look great Marinette!" Tikki seconded, popping up near her shoulder. A blur of orange zoomed around her before Trixx popped up beside Tikki.

"Definitely!" the little fox agreed, with a wink. 

"Thanks guys."

Alya must've noted the slight waver in her voice, as she looked up from her magazine and eyed her more closely. "What's up girl? You nervous or something?"

"About the event? No. But- I just... I have the strangest feeling something's going to happen tonight." Beside her, she saw Tikki frown slightly. 

"Well, yeah! You're totally gunna kill it in that dress, and between that design and the one Chloe is wearing, you're gunna leave that party with so many requests for commissions, you won't know what to do with yourself!"

Marinette smiled at her friends encouragement. Alya had always been her biggest cheerleader, even in the days when she was struggling so much she'd been forced to move back home and was ready to hang her dreams in favor of steadier income. Without her and Tikki, she wasn't sure she would've found the strength to keep pushing so hard. It was all starting to pay off now. 

"You're right. I got this." She dropped her lipstick and some cash in her clutch before snapping it shut and grabbing her phone and her invitation.

She had scheduled a pickup earlier in the day, and by the looks of the app on her phone, it was almost here. 

"Well, I'm gunna head downstairs. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck!" the three chimed together as she stepped out the door. Tikki had elected to stay home since it would've been difficult to hide her in her dress or purse for the evening. She and Trixx would have a little play date with the rest of the kwamis until Nino came by to pick Alya up after his gig. 

The car was already waiting at the curb when she stepped out of her building, and she wasted no time jumping into the back seat. "Nice dress," the driver commented as they pulled out into traffic.

"Thanks."

"You going to that fancy charity thing?"

"Yep, sure am."

"Nice."

With that, they lapsed into silence and Marinette spent the rest of the ride staring out the window as she continued to fight through the tension that was settling in her shoulders. Her stomach was twisted in knots, and she still had no idea why.

* * *

 

Adrien straightened his tie and tugged his jacket in to place, giving himself another cursory glance in the mirror.  _Perfect as always._ Some habits were hard to break. Perfection of dress, even after all this time, was one of those habits left over from his father that he'd never managed to shake. 

A knock on his door, let him know his driver was waiting downstairs. He sighed, before letting his assistant know he'd be right there. "Here goes nothing." He watched Plagg swallow another piece of Camembert before zipping into his pocket. Some things never changed. 

As he made his way through the mansion, he made a point of not looking around. He wasn't even sure why he'd kept the place. He should've sold it years ago. His excuse had always been that it was a convenient place to stay on the occasions he was in town, though he never bothered to use any of the family rooms, preferring to sleep in the guest quarters. He was sure that if he ever bothered to sit down with a psychiatrist and work through all the bullshit of his childhood, he would find some underlying reason for his inability to let go of a place that held mostly bad memories for him. Which was probably exactly why he didn't bother. 

The majority of the last eleven years, had been spent traveling the world, taking on various modeling contracts for some of the biggest names in the industry. He was just about past his prime now however, though his still steady stream of work might suggest otherwise. He had been back to Paris plenty over the years; it was hard to avoid in his line of work. He usually tried to keep a healthy distance between himself and any remnants of his past life when he did visit however. 

The only reason he was making an exception now was because his latest contract meant he would be in town for the foreseeable future. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone from his past tried to drag him back into their social circle again. He figured it was best to go ahead and get the first run in over with.

Nino was really the only person he kept any sort of regular contact with from his old group of friends. Chloe would send him messages and invitations from time to time when she knew he was in town, but otherwise, he spoke to literally no one. He felt a twinge of guilt when the image of a certain raven haired, pigtailed girl swam through his mind. He and Marinette had gotten really close in his last years of school. Aside from Nino, she was one of the first friends he'd ever made in school, and he'd walked away without saying goodbye. 

Though he never asked, Nino kept him mostly up to date on Marinette and he knew she was doing quite well for herself now. Even if Nino hadn't told him, he'd already heard her brand mentioned a few times recently, and expected to hear it more frequently in the future. She was making a name for herself, and even if he never got a chance to tell her in person, he was proud of her. After all this time, she still crossed his mind from time to time, even without Nino's prompting. Another thing he refused to examine. 

Surely after so long, without a word from him, she wouldn't be very welcoming to him in any case. 

His door opened, and he realized with a start that they had already made it through the waiting line and had arrived at the red carpet. He cleared his throat, taking a second to compose himself and don his best model smile, before stepping out of the car into a blinding sea of flashing light. With practiced ease, he made his way down the carpet amongst the other A-list guests in attendance, stopping occasionally to shake hands and pose for pictures. As soon as he was inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. 

He smiled at the event coordinator, waiting by the door, reaching into his breast pocket for his invitation, but she waved him in with a giggle and a blush. He'd gotten more used to fans as he got older, but it still made him uncomfortable from time to time to know he was so widely recognized. Especially when that recognition morphed from admiration to lust. He knew it was part of the job, but he wasn't sure he'd ever be completely used to it. 

He'd only managed a few steps inside when a voice he hadn't heard in years assaulted him.

"Adrikins!" Chloe floated over to him with a grace he hadn't ever seen in her before, maintaining an appropriate distance as she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, rather than the tackled hugs he'd been used to when they were younger. Stepping back she latched onto the arm of a familiar looking red head. 

"You remember my husband, Nathaniel, from school don't you?"

Adrien blinked, twice, before it hit him. Nathaniel Kutzberg, the artist. He'd grown up a lot since he'd last seen him. Then again, they all had. 

"Of course. How are you," he smiled politely, shaking his hand. He knew Chloe had gotten married a few years ago, but hadn't ever made the connection. 

Nathaniel shook his hand firmly, smiling back, though he didn't say a word. Seemed that, while he may look different, he was just as quiet as he'd always been. Adrien wondered how in the world he had ended up with someone as outgoing as Chloe. 

"I'm so glad you finally accepted one of my invitations! It's been too long," Chloe chided. 

"Sorry, Clo. I don't usually have a lot of free time when I'm in town," he apologized with his practiced excuse. Then, he found himself adding, "I'll be hanging around for a while this time though, so hopefully I can attend some more events this season." He tensed as Chloe beamed at him and he realized what he had just said. 

 _What the hell?_ He felt his pocket vibrate slightly and knew Plagg was snickering away. Why had he said that? He had meant this to be a one time thing. Even if he was planning to be here for a while, he had no interest in being sucked into Chloe's social calendar. 

"Really! Oh that's wonderful!" She clapped her hands excitedly, and squeezed her husbands arm as he watched her with a fond expression. 

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, grabbing his wrist and tugging him through the crowd, leaving her husband on his own. "There's someone here you  _have_ to see!"

He tried to keep the annoyance from his face as she pulled in through the room, ignoring the stares of people they passed. He knew they were talking about him. He was rarely ever seen out in Paris, and never at events like this one. 

Chloe stopped suddenly, and he only just managed to avoid running her over. "Wait here." He watched her move over to another group of people near by that included a few notable names in the fashion industry. 

Rolling his eyes he glanced around the room as he waited for her to bring back whatever big name she wanted him to meet. When he turned back, he was confronted with a beautiful woman in a stunning red dress, dark hair piled high on her head, little wisps falling seductively around her face. Her lips were painted the same shade as her gown and thick, dark lashes framed the most beautiful blue eyes he'd ever seen.

Blue eyes he hadn't seen in a very, very long time. 

He felt his mouth pop open slightly as his gaze moved automatically, up and down her frame. "Marinette," he breathed. 

 _Good Lord._ If he'd thought Nathaniel had grown up, it was nothing compared to this. The Marinette he remembered was a innocent young girl who wore pigtails and a signature smile, not the siren before him. 

For a fraction of a second, she looked as stunned as he did. Then she blinked, and a calm facade slipped into place. "Adrien," she said cooly.

 _For the love of-_ Even her voice was more grown up. She was a walking fantasy and for perhaps the first time in his adult life, he had no idea how to handle himself. 

"I-uh- it's -it's great to see you," he managed, biting back a wince as Chloe raised an amused brow.

He glanced between her and Marinette with a slight frown. Last he remembered, these two hated each other. Now, Chloe had an arm laced through Marinette's as though they were old friends. When had they gotten so chummy?

Marinette narrowed her eyes a little before responding. "You too." She didn't have to say it but the message was clear. 

He flushed, shifting a little. He hadn't felt this flustered around a woman in ages. "Um- How have you been? Nino- I mean- I've heard some buzz around your brand lately. You're finally doing something with yourself then?"

He could've kicked himself for that as Marinette bristled, her nostrils flaring and Chloe pursed her lips at his unintended insinuation. "No! I didn't mean-"

"If you'll excuse me," she cut across him in an icy tone. "I should get back to my previous conversation. _Pierre von Bursten_ and I were just discussing my latest show." She took a half-step forward, and he took a reflexive one back. She was still a full head and shoulders shorter than him, but he remembered how intimidating she could be when riled. 

"Welcome back to Paris  _Mr Agreste._ " With that she spun on her heel and marched back over to the group Chloe had just pulled her from, expertly reasserted herself into the discussion. Even as he flushed with embarrassment, he couldn't help the way his eyes were drawn to the sway of her hips as she moved. There was no mistaking, his old friend wasn't a girl anymore.

He squeezed his eyes shut. "Please tell me that didn't go as bad as I think it did?"

"I can't believe you haven't spoken a word to that girl in over a decade, and the first thing you do when you see her again, is insult her."

"It came out wrong," he groaned. "I didn't mean it."

"Mmhmm."

"By the way, since when do you stick up for Marinette?"

Chloe glanced away for a moment before lifting her chin and returned her gaze to him. "You've been gone a long time Adrikins. You've got a lot of catching up to do."

Before he could reply, Chloe had disappeared back into the crowd. 

* * *

 

Chat grinned as he jumped from building to building, the wind whipping through his hair. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed this. Not that he hadn't ever gone out in the suit in the last eleven years. Chat Noir had made the occasional appearance in whatever city Adrien happened to be visiting at the time, but this was the first time he'd been seen in Paris since then.

He probably shouldn't have broken out the suit on the same night Adrien Agreste was first seen in Paris, but after that painful encounter earlier tonight, he'd needed a little stress relief. He'd stayed at the event long enough to eat the dinner he'd paid for, before slipping out unseen and returning home. After pacing around his room for an hour, he'd transformed and headed out.

It had taken a while to get used to the layout of the city again. After losing his footing a few times, he'd gotten the hang of it. He'd paused momentarily when he'd seen the balcony atop the bakery, remembering all the late night chats he'd had with Marinette on that roof so many years ago. He knew she no longer lived there, but he was tempted to stop there a moment, for memory's sake. Instead he kept running.

He was just getting into a good rhythm when something slammed into him from the side, hard, and he tumbled off the roof he was on, landing unceremoniously in an alley. Almost as soon as he hit the ground, he detangled himself from whatever had hit him and rolled to a crouch,  ready to strike-

-only to stop short at the sight of a familiar red, polka dot suit. 

"Chat?"

"Ladybug?"

They stared at each other with wide eyes for a moment before a grin spread over his face. He hadn't seen his lady in so long. Over the years, she was perhaps the person from his old life that he thought of the most. Plagg had whined incessantly about being dragged so far away from his friend Tikki for so long.

"My lady! I-" her fist shot out, connecting with his nose and setting him on his ass. He blinked up at her in shock, though he supposed he should've expected that. Marinette wasn't the only one he'd left behind without a word.

His eyes glanced over her as she stood glaring down at him and he couldn't help but notice just how much she had changed as well. Apparently, it wasn't just her looks that had changed, but her mouth too.

"Where the  _fuck_ have you been?"


	3. I Am Woman - Hear Me Roar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir confronts his teammates and some long overdue secrets are revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mostly rated this thing as M for the language, though there may or may not be some NSFW scenes in the future... we'll see.

“Where the  _fuck_  have you been?”

Chat blinked at her from his position, sprawled out on the ground. The hit came so unexpectedly, it took a second for the pain to register. When it did, he raised a hand out to cradle his nose. 

“ _Son of a-“_ She broke his nose! His healing better take care of this soon or he was going to have a very pissed off manager. He had a shoot tomorrow.

”You know what,” she said, holding up a hand. “Don’t answer that yet.”

Yanking her yo-yo from her hip, he watched her slide it open, press and hold some button he couldn’t see, and then begin typing furiously before snapping it shut again.

When she was finished, she reached down to grab the bell that was _still_ attached to his collar (Plagg had a hilarious sense of humor) and pulled him to his feet. Without preamble, she bent at the waist and hoisted him over her shoulder. 

“What the-“

He knew she was strong, she used to pick him up and throw him around a lot when they were younger, but he wasn’t a scrawny teenager anymore. 

Her yo-yo shot out, and soon they were swinging away across the city. 

After a minute, when the throbbing in his face was a little less persistent, he became aware of his position and giggled like a school boy. 

“You know my lady, if you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask?”

They landed on the roof of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city and she slung him off her shoulder, all but body slamming him to the concrete. Ignoring his groan, she paced away from him, arms crossed. 

“Where are we?”

No response. 

“Ok. What are we doing here?”

”Waiting.”

”...for?”

”The team.”

”What? All of you are still out?” It was after midnight. Patrol should’ve been over hours ago. 

“No. I called them.”

”Called them? How, if they aren’t transformed?”

She stopped in her tracks and turned around. “We’ve been working together for nearly fifteen years. You think we haven’t found other ways to communicate?”

Her derisive tone wasn’t one he was used to hearing. He always knew she would be upset with him if she ever saw him again. He’d seen all the missed calls and unanswered messages. They’d tapered off slowly until they eventually stopped coming altogether.

”I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I-“

She held up a finger to silence him, turning her gaze to the city. “Save your breath. You need only explain yourself once  _kitty.”_ What used to be a term of endearment now sounded more like an insult.

His partner had always been so patient with him, even was he was being a little shit. It was a testament to how much he’d hurt her that she was so cold towards him now.

Something small and yellow shot on to the roof, followed a moment later by Queen Bee. "Do you have any idea what time it is? I've been at an event all night, as you well know. I'm literally dead on my feet right now. This better be goo-" She cut off her irritated speech the moment she caught sight on him. "Oh. _Well, well_. Look what the cat dragged in."

A ball of green launched over the ledge and rolled onto the roof, followed by a blur of orange as they were joined by Carapace and Rena. "Girl," Rena began, sounding rather grumpy. "Why the hell have you summoned us here so late? You know I need my sleep."

"Uh-babe," Carapace said, tapping her on the shoulder. "I think that's why."

Rena turned to stare at him for a moment. "... oh, hell no. I don't have patience for this right now." She grabbed Carapace by the wrist and started to drag him back to the edge of the roof. 

"Guys!" Immediately, everyone's attention swung to Ladybug. 

"I'm sorry for dragging you out so late, I know you'd all rather be at home, but Chat is ready to tell us where he's been all this time, and I knew you'd all want to hear this." She stepped to the front of the group, staring down at him, arms crossed, putting him on the spot. He wasn't, in fact, ready to tell them anything. He would've preferred to avoid this entire conversation altogether, but it seemed he didn't have much say in the matter. 

"How the hell did you find him anyways?" Rena asked, stepping to her side. "Or did he find you?"

"Coincidence. I needed to relieve some... tension, so I was out for a run when I spotted a figure dressed in all black, running around the rooftops."

"Why do I get the feeling that if you hadn't happened to be out, we would've never found out he was here?" Carapace asked, sidling up next to Rena and snaking an arm around her waist. 

"Because it's probably true," Queen Bee said, pretending to examine her (glove covered) nails.

Chat squirmed under their scrutiny. Bee was right, he hadn't planned on running into any of them, it was why he'd gone out so late. 

"Well,  _kitty._ What do you have to say for yourself?"

Chat sighed through his nose, flinching slightly at the lingering pain. Prodding the area experimentally, he pulled himself to his feet and brushed off his suit. He didn't miss the satisfied smile tugging at Ladybug's lips.

"Look, I- " he hesitated a moment, trying to find the right words that wouldn't get him punched again. He decided on the truth. "I'm sorry. Not for leaving, that was something I needed to do. I am sorry though for how I went about it." 

"And why, pray tell, was it so necessary for you to leave?" Bee planted her hands on her hips, stepping up with the rest of the group. Chat observed that they looked like a poster for a movie, standing like that. It was rather intimidating. "Not that I cared, but that one was pretty bent up about it," she nodded to Ladybug, who glared back at her.

"Well..." he took a second to think over what he was considering doing. Once he did it, there'd be no going back. "It's probably easier if I just show you."

"Show us? You mean take off the mask?" Rena asked, scoffing. "Boy, you missed that party by about a decade."

"I-I know, but just- trust me. It'll probably make a lot more sense if you know."

The four of them wore matching skeptical expressions. Sighing, he called for Plagg to de-transform, and a round of gasps followed the flash of green light. Queen Bee, who the entirety of Paris already knew was Chloe, pressed her fingers to her mouth. Rena and Carapace gaped, while Ladybug just stared with wide eyes. 

The silence was abruptly broken when Rena burst into tears, startling him. "Oh, Jesus." Carapace pulled her to his chest and stroked her hair. "Ooook. It's alright."

Confused as he was by their behavior, he was most interested in the reaction of his former partner. He met her piercing blue eyes, head on, watching as an array of emotions played across her face before settling on what appeared to be anger, which surprised him. Of all of them, he expected her to be the most understanding, yet, without a word, she slung out her yo-yo and swung off into the night. 

He watched her go, his chest constricting painfully, before calling for his transformation again to follow her. "Plagg-"

He was interrupted by Carapace, stepping forward and placing a hand on his chest, while still holding a blubbering Rena. He shook his head. "Leave her. She needs to process, she'll come around."

He considered following her anyways, but ultimately decided Carapace was probably right. After all, he'd knew her much better than him these days. 

"Well," Bee said. "This has been fun and all, but I really need my beauty rest. Let me know what happens when you guys finally do talk." Her face took on an amused expression. "Damn, I wish I could be there for that."

"Adrikins-" she looked at him pointedly, "-we'll talk later." Then she was gone.

Adrien looked back at Rena, clutching the front of Cara's suit as she cried. "Is-is she ok?"

Cara rolled his eyes. "It's the hormones man. She cries at the drop of a hat."

"I heard that," Rena mumbled against his chest.

Adrien continued to frown.

"Oh, right.  _Shell off._ " 

Adrien's eyebrows shot to his hair line. "Nino?!"

"Sup?"

"So does that mean-" he nodded to Rena.

"Yep."

"Ah-" That... actually made perfect sense. What were the odds though that three fourths of his superhero partners would be among his oldest friends from school? 

He turned back to the direction Ladybug had disappeared. "So..."

Nino chuckled. "Oh, no. No way, man. The only person who scares me more than my wife is her. If you wanna know who she is, you're gunna have to let her tell you herself."

Adrien couldn't help the pout that formed on his lips. 

"Sorry dude."

Rena pulled back from her husband a little, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "Don't be fooled by my tears jackass, I'm still mad at you. Marinette told me about this evening at the gala."

Adrien flinched.

"I should get her home," Nino interrupted before Rena could get any more riled up. "She'll be cranky in the morning if she doesn't get enough sleep."

His wife scowled at him, which he returned with a deadpan look. "Am I wrong?" She pursed her lips and he smirked. "Come on then momma. Later dude." Nino transformed again and then he and Rena were gone leaving Adrien alone on the roof with Plagg.

"That went well," his kwami drawled. Adrien shot him a glare. "You're definitely on a roll tonight kiddo. Let's get home though, I'm tired and hungry."

Adrien sighed once more, calling his transformation. As he made his way back to town, he reflected how different he was feeling now to little more than an hour ago, when he'd first headed out. Plagg was right. He was indeed on a roll.

* * *

 By the time Marinette got back to her apartment, her emotions were too rattled to sleep. Body thrumming with nervous energy, she left Tikki to plunder her stash of sweets and gossip with the other kwamis about Chat Noirs return, before heading to the spare bedroom she used as a studio. 

She considered designing, but she wasn't sure her hands were steady enough for drawing, so instead, she threw on an old t-shirt and painted. Classical music blared through her headphones as she covered canvas after canvas with explosions of color. One was filled in black then covered in angry slashes of red, orange and gold; one was full of emotional shades of blue, another with vibrant greens and yellows. 

She stood in that room, spilling her emotions out on canvas until the music died and the sun had long risen. When she was finished, she stepped back to view her work, stretching out the soreness in her neck and back. She considered throwing them out but thought better of it. Nate had long been pestering her to let him showcase some of her pieces. She'd let him take a look at these, and if he liked them, she'd let him hang them in his showroom. Why not turn her emotional therapy into a little extra cash? She was doing alright these days, but a bit more security never hurt anyone. 

She was suddenly overtaken by a yawn so wide, she was half surprised her jaw didn't come unhinged. Tossing her palette and brushes in a tub of water to soak, she padded off to her bedroom. After plugging in her headphones and cell to charge, she stripped off her paint stained shirt, tossing it on the bathroom floor, and dropped into bed without bothering to don her pajamas.

When she woke later that afternoon, she found a dozen missed calls and about 50 texts from her teammates, most of which she ignored. After making herself dinner (which may or may not have included nearly half a bottle of wine), she paced around her living room while Tikki and a few of the other kwamis watched anxiously from their corner of the room. The gramophone that served as both the hiding place for the miraculous jewels and the kwamis living space, sat near a window in the living room, blending perfectly with the vintage style of her apartment. 

She stopped abruptly in the middle of the room, turning her head to see the darkening skyline outside. She hadn't realized it had gotten so late. She contemplated the view for a moment before calling on Tikki to transform her. It wasn't her night to patrol, and it probably wasn't the best idea to be out in the suit after drinking, but there was a certain someone she owed a visit.

* * *

"Evening Chaton."

Adrien nearly jumped out of his skin when he was greeted by the familiar voice, hiding somewhere in the shadows of his dark room. How had she even known he was staying here and not his old room? He quickly shut the door behind him, reaching over to switch on the light. Ladybug lounged in the armchair next to the terrace doors, one finger lightly scratching Plagg's ears where he was perched happily on her shoulder in what appeared to be a post-cheese coma. 

Adrien sighed, running a hand through his gell-stiffened hair, and dropped the bag his gym bag from that morning on the floor. The shoot today had run longer than expected and he was dead tired. Luckily, however, his broken nose from the previous day had long faded by the time he arrived on set. 

"You here to punch me again?" he asked tiredly.

"No... though I can't make any promises." She stared at him for a moment before speaking quietly. " _Eleven years."_

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut. "I know."

" _Eleven. Years._ No calls, no messages, not even a note."

"I know-"

"I was your partner! We were supposed to be best friends. I- I was  _your partner._ How could you do that to me?"

"I'm sorry."

"Are you? Are you really Adrien? Because you had eleven years to say something, anything.... If I hadn't found you last night, would I-we- have ever seen you again?"

He pinched his lips together unsure of what to say. The answer of course was no, she wouldn't have seen him. But, now, face to face with her, he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. His silence was answer enough however as she blinked and looked away, her eyes glistening in the low light.

"Do you- do you have any idea what you put us through? What you put  _me_ through? If it weren't for the random sightings in other countries, I would've never known if you were dead or alive."

Adrien swallowed hard, guilt falling around his shoulders like a heavy blanket. 

She turned her face to him again, her eyes hard once more. "I wasn't the only one you hurt though. All your friends- the people you left behind. The ones who loved you and supported you, and just wanted to be there for you..." she shook her head. "For someone so starved for love, you sure walked away from it awfully easy."

"I didn't-" his voice broke, and he took a moment to gain his composure. "Did you really think it was that easy for me?"

"It sure seemed that way. I tried to reach out to you. We all did. You ignored everyone but Nino. I know he was your best friend but- damn it, so was I! All those days we spent getting dragged around the city, chaperoning Alya and Nino, all the nights we stayed up talking on my balcony... You just..." She averted her gaze, biting her trembling lip. 

He blinked at her a few times as her words sunk in.  _Following Nino and Alya around the city.... nights on her balcony... it couldn't be..._ He scanned her face again, every feature from her blue eyes, to her button nose, to the light freckles on her cheekbones. How had he missed it before?

She looked back at him, her eyes rimmed with tears, he could see her throat working as she struggled to speak. "Spots off," she whispered.

A flash of pink and she had confirmed his guess. Plagg and Tikki disappeared quickly, giving them privacy to talk.

Marinette sat before him in a faded t-shirt and sweatpants, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. The dark circles under her eyes hinted at the toll the last two days had taken on her, but damn, if she wasn't the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. All this time, his lady, his partner, his best friend... had been the same pretty young woman he'd found himself more and more drawn to over the years. The two people he regretted leaving behind the most, were the same person.

Another time, he might've been overjoyed to learn his lady and his princess were one in the same. Right now though, he just felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

"Mari," he choked out, dragging a hand over his mouth. "Oh, God. Mari, I'm so sor-"

"Save it." She crossed her arms over her chest, taking on a defensive posture, even as the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over. "I didn't come here for another apology. I came for an explanation."

For so long, he hadn't truly allowed himself to feel, using it as a way to cope with the choices he had made. He suddenly felt all the consequences of suppressing his emotions for over a decade. Stumbling forward, he collapsed on the couch across from her, and buried his head in his hands. 

_Time to face the music._

 


	4. The Sins of the Father...

Adrien remained where he was, slumped on the couch, head down and hands shielding his eyes so he didn’t have to look at her. His thumbs pressed into his temples, massaging slow circles while he concentrated on his breathing. 

 _Marinette was Ladybug._ He hadn’t seen that coming and yet, it made perfect sense. He’d never met anyone as brave, smart or kind. Or beautiful. Even as teenagers he hadn’t been immune to her beauty, he’d just been so taken by his partner it had taken a while to start seeing his friend as possibly more than just a friend. 

 _And_ _she_ _had_ _been_ _his_ _lady_ _the_ _whole_ _time_..

The full weight of his decision to leave without a word and never look back, hit him then. He’d hurt her twice over. No wonder she was so angry. He couldn’t blame her. Now he had to figure out what to say that wouldn’t make her angrier...if that was possible. 

He hadn’t originally planned to stay in Paris. He would be here longer than he ever had in the last ten years but he’d hoped to get out again with minimal interaction with his past. 

Suddenly he was faced with the possibility that that wasn’t what he wanted anymore. If it was possible to salvage what was left of his relationship with his partner and his best friend, if it was possible to start rebuilding it again... he’d do what he could. 

His mind went back to that day, when he discovered what his father had been up to in all that time he spent locked away in his office, hiding from the world. 

 

_He’d stood frozen in the background after Ladybug had ripped the miraculous away from Hawkmoth and the world discovered that it had been Gabriel Agreste terrorizing Paris for the last three years._

His father. 

_While he had struggled to grieve his mother on his own, and find the affection that was missing at home through his friends, his father had been exploiting the negative emotions of his fellow citizens._

_He’d had no compunction when it came to who he chose to victimize.  Young, old, male, female, they were all targeted equally._

_This was the man who had raised him. The one who was supposed to love him unconditionally and yet he’d spent all this time ignoring him for...what exactly?_

_Suddenly, Chat felt like the world was closing in around him. He couldn’t breathe. Just a moment ago, when Ladybug was lunging forward, about to rip that butterfly brooch off, he’d been ecstatic. It would finally be over. All the fighting, the worry, the fear._

_He could stop hiding, he wouldn’t have to keep so many secrets anymore. His lady, his teammates, they could finally be 100% open with each other..._

_Now, there was only one thought running through his head. “_ Run. Get out. Now.”

 

”Adrien?”

Marinette’s voice snapped him out of his remembrances. He sighed, not looking up at her and started to speak. 

“I had to get out.” His voice cracked and his cleared his throat before continuing. “I’d just watched my father get demasked in front of the whole city. I- I couldn’t stand there and listen to what they would say about him. I got plenty enough of that in the days that followed.”

Marinette didn’t say a word, letting the silence stretch between them until Adrien squirmed, glancing up to gage her reaction.

Her eyes were trained on him, intense and blue as ever. Her expression was impassive. Without even speaking, she told him clearly that he’d have to do better than that. 

Shifting in his seat, he ran his fingers through his hair until the stiffness began to subside. “I-Uh -I needed time to process. I’d spent so much time feeling guilty for the secrets I was keeping, but my father was keeping much bigger ones.”

He laughed bitterly. “I didn’t even know what was happening in my own house. He was there-“ he held his hands up in front of him, looking at her imploringly. Begging her to understand. “ Mari, he was _there_. All those years, he was literally right under my nose and I had no idea. Can you- can you even imagine what that’s like?”

She quirked an eyebrow as if to say “you mean how I didn’t realize my partner was my best friend?”

He shook his head, dragging a hand over his face. “It was a lot to take in. Is that so unreasonable?”

She stared at him for a moment before leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “Did you think we would judge you for what he had done?”

Adrien shrugged. It would be false to say the thought hadn’t crossed his mind at least once. “The sins of the father...?”

Her eyes flashed and she stood, calling for Tikki. 

 _That_ _was_ _it_? She had nothing else to say?  Now he was angry as well. “Are you really going to hold that against me? Can you really not understand how I was feeling? The girl I remember had more empathy than that!”

Marinette froze, her back to him. He could see her shoulders tense as Tikki, and even Plagg looked at him with shocked expressions. 

Very slowly, she pivoted to look at him. If he’d been standing, her expression would’ve made him take a step back, as it was, he pressed himself back into the sofa in a vain attempt to escape her ire. 

She took a deep breath through her nose, speaking in a low voice. “That’s the second time you’ve insulted me in as many days. The boy _I_ remember, was never so unkind.”

He winced as she took a half step forward. “To be clear, I can understand how a seventeen year old boy would feel overwhelmed. I can understand that he would feel like running and hiding away from the world for a while. What I don’t understand is why you thought we would ever hold you responsible for actions that weren’t yours. For something you knew nothing about. I thought you knew me better than that.”

”I could forgive you leaving when you needed some space and time to yourself.” She squared up her shoulders and even with her petite stature, she seemed to tower over him. “What I can’t forgive, is you staying away and then barreling back into my life, expecting everything to be fine. As if you hadn’t broken my heart two times over.”

She turned away again, calling her transformation. “Those excuses might have worked ten years ago _Chaton_ , but they don’t hold much weight now.” 

With that she stepped onto the balcony, slinging out her yo-yo and disappearing into the night. 

For several minutes Adrien sat in stunned silence, his brief flare of anger entirely gone. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so small in his life. He felt a gentle nudge on his hand and looked down to see Plagg pushing a tissue into his hand. It was only then he realized he was crying. For the first time in eleven years. 


	5. Back At One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Adrien's confession.
> 
> Warning: NSFW scene at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys know. I do read every comment that comes through on these stories. In the last chapter it was pointed out that it seemed shorter than the previous chapters. That’s because I literally wrote it in like 10 minutes on my phone while I was sitting in a coffee shop and had the idea in my head. Ha ha
> 
> That being said, when you all make suggestions for things you’d like to see or make a particularly astute observation, I take those things into account. I literally have no idea where these stories are going to go until I’m writing the next chapter. I try to incorporate things you guys say when I feel it works with the story so please, please keep the comments coming!
> 
> On that note, it was also mentioned that Marinette may have been... overreacting/overreaching and I think that’s something that needs to be addressed so....

Marinette took a sip as she finished her rant, enjoying the bite of the peppery notes in her red wine. Meanwhile, Alya watched her from her side of the sofa with a look Marinette knew all too well. It was one she saw often when her friend thought Marinette was being dumb or overacting.

"What?" she asked. "Was I wrong?"

"Well, maybe not. But don't you think were a little... harsh?"

"Harsh?" she huffed. ""Alya, he-"

"I know what he did babe," she said, holding up a hand to stop another rant. "Still, there were probably kinder ways to say it."

Marinette blinked at Alya. Normally her friend would be the first in line to give someone a good dressing down, perhaps Nino's mellow attitude was rubbing off on her a bit too much.

"I mean really, think about it. Can any of us truly even imagine what it must've been like for him, as an emotionally wrecked teenager to find out your father was keeping some pretty serious (and literal) skeletons in the closet? There's no telling how we would have reacted."

"Are you kidding me?" Marinette scoffed. "You would've Rambo'd your way in and demanded answers! You wouldn't have _runaway_." 

"Yeah," she laughed. "But that's  _me_. I'm not Adrien. Most people probably would've reacted just like he did. Especially at such a young age."

Alya took a sip of her tea, eyeing Marinette's glass enviously."And, if we're being perfectly honest here, I don't think he really intended to 'barrel back' into anyone's life. I mean, weren't you the one who tackled him off a rooftop and then dragged his ass out to confront the rest of the team?"

"So?" Marinette asked. "He owed us an explanation." 

"Honey, no one owes anyone anything. People break up all the time and never get explanations as to why."

"It wasn't a break up," Marinette grumbled. 

"It might as well have been. My point is, as we've previously established, if you hadn't been out so late that night, we may have never even known Chat was back in town. And after the gala, you may well have never even seen Adrien in person again. So, if not for a set of coincidences, we wouldn't know he was Chat Noir and we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

"Maybe," she conceded. "But they did happen, and we do know, and we are having this conversation. You really think I shouldn't be angry at him?"

"I think-" Alya sighed.  "Ok, listen. Adrien left  _eleven_ years ago. In all that time, we've never had any answers and we've all learned to move on. So has Adrien, and he seems happy. At the very least, he doesn't seem to regret his decision. He even said as much. Was it really worth it to force a confession out of him? Or, would it have perhaps been better to just leave it in the past instead of reopening old wounds. I mean, you were doing so well until the other night, and now look at you. Crying into a bottle of wine over a boy you had a crush on when you were a teenager!"

"I'm not crying, and it was a little more than a crush, ok." Marinette knew how petulant she was sounding. She mostly blamed it on the wine, but she was just so  _angry_. Actually, angry may not have been quite the correct term anymore. She was _something_ , though. 

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side here? Isn't that what best friends do?"

Alya just shook her head and ran her fingers through her friends hair as she pouted. "Sweetheart, I'm always on your side, but sometimes, it's also a best friends job to call you out."

Marinette sighed, laying her head in Alya's lap so she could continue playing with her hair while they watched the kwamis play around in her living room.

* * *

On the other side of town, Nino was having a similar, but very different conversation with a certain blonde supermodel.

"Marinette," Adrien said when he answered the door.

"No, it's Nino," he joked as he pushed through into the room Adrien had set up as his "study". Mostly it was just where the two hung out and played pool or video games when Adrien was in town.

"Ha ha." Adrien said, shutting the door and marching over to the mini fridge. He pulled out two bottles of beer and tossed one to Nino as they sprawled out in arm chairs in front of the TV. "You could've given me some warning on that one."

Nino chuckled, popping the top off his bottle and taking a swig. "I already told you man, it wasn't my secret to tell. Besides, why do you think I kept talking about her so much over the years?"

"I just figured you spent the most time with her out of everyone because of Alya," Adrien shrugged. "Besides, it's not like I ever  _asked_ you to keep me up to date on her. Or anyone else in this town for that matter. Besides you and Alya of course," he continued when Nino lifted a brow.

"I know you didn't dude, but you also never said you _didn't_ want to hear about her. _Or anyone else for that matter._  You could've just as easily said you didn't care or weren't interested."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, don't you think, perhaps, the fact that you didn't mind hearing about her was because you weren't really over her?" Nino was the only person who had been privileged enough to be told about his changing feelings for Marinette all those years ago. Not that he really had to tell him. Back then Adrien was about as subtle as a train when it came to romance. In reality, probably the only person who hadn't noticed his changing feelings was Marinette. How she had missed it when she had practically been obsessing over the boy since she had met him, Nino had no idea.

"What exactly happened last night anyways?" Nino had received a few slightly incoherent text messages around one AM, and when he finally woke up the next day, he told Adrien he'd come by when he finished at the studio that evening.

Adrien cracked open his bottle and downed about half of it in one go before filling him in. "Well..."

 

"Yikes," Nino said when he was finished.

"Yeah."

Adrien was a little startled when Nino burst out laughing a second later.

"Uh, thanks for the support bro?"

"Sorry," Nino said, calming down. "It's just- Marinette has always been a spitfire when properly riled up, but you've never really been on the receiving end of it before have you?"

"Uh, I was her partner remember? I know she can get feisty. This was different though."

"Eh, yeah but she's never been properly angry at you before. You were an annoying little shit back then, but she still loved you." Adrien's heart skipped a beat at the word love, before reminding himself he just meant it figuratively. Platonically. "She's had eleven years to stew on this."i

Adrien hummed thoughtfully as he sipped his beer. Once he'd recovered from the shock of Marinette's scolding and the revelation of her secret identity, his brief flare of anger returned to a low simmer. What right did she have to barge into his home and make him feel like a child? He may have earned some of her ire, but not that much. Surely he deserved some kind of understanding from her? She had been his partner and one of his closest friends. He wasn't sure what that said about the reality of their relationship back then. Or perhaps the intervening years had warped his memory of exactly how close they had been.

Then again, it was usually only the ones we truly cared about that had the power to affect us so strongly.

"You're taking this rather well," he commented, looking back at Nino who looked perfectly at ease. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you may have been the only one keeping in touch with me as Adrien, but you didn't know I was Chat Noir either."

"Eh," Nino shrugged taking another swig of beer. "It's kinda how I felt when I first found out about Mar. I was a little surprised at first but, once it settled in, a lot of things made sense. I don't really see much sense in freaking out about it to be honest. Just accept it and move on." Wayz nodded sagely over Nino's shoulder, and Adrien chuckled.

"That damn turtle is rubbing off on you."

"Hey!" Nino and Wayz exclaimed simultaneously. "Watch it man. Little dude is awesome." 

"Thank you  _dude."_ Wayz replied as the two shared an elaborate and frankly hilarious handshake.

"I cannot believe Wayz just used the word _dude!_ " Plagg cackled from on top of the TV which everyone ignored.

"So, what are you going to do now man? I mean you're sticking around for a while right with that latest contract?"

"Yeah, I'll be here for the next 4 months at least. I should be here through the holidays."

"Mm, yeah. It's a lot harder to avoid her for 4 months than when you're only here for a few days. Assuming you're still trying to avoid your past?"

"I don't know man," Adrien said, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm not sure anymore. I mean, I'm not looking forward to battling it out with Marinette, but I'm not so sure anymore that I've done myself any favors by trying to cut everyone out. Besides, it'll get awfully lonely if I have only you and Plagg to hang out with for four months. No offense."

"None taken. Besides, Alya's due shortly after the new year. She's going to need more of my attention the further along she gets, you know?"

"Yeah." Adrien shook his head, smiling as he tried to picture a mini Nino or Alya running around. "I can't believe you guys are going to be parents."

"I know right?" Nino grinned. "I can't wait."

"I'm happy for you both. You're gunna be awesome parents." Adrien held out his bottle which Nino knocked with his. 

"Thanks man." They saluted each other and took a drink. "To what we were talking about though. I'm not sure you'll really have to 'battle it out' with Marinette. She may not welcome you back with open arms, obviously, but I don't think it'll be that bad. She's with Alya tonight, she'll talk some sense into her I'm sure and with a little time, she'll come around."

"Alya will talk some sense in to her?" Adrien asked skeptically, remembering how aggressive the reporter could get.

"Believe it or not, most of the time, Alya is actually the reasonable one. Trust me on this."

* * *

 

Two weeks later, both Alya and Nino were proven wrong. 

Adrien it seemed, wasn't quite as happy leaving his past behind as they had thought. In fact, he'd made a point of making up with everyone in the group, including Alya, and they had all welcomed him back into the fold... Everyone except Marinette that was, who proved she was perfectly capable of holding a grudge.

None of the others seemed to get why she was still holding on to her anger, though that anger had since morphed into pettiness. Marinette didn't care though. All her life, she'd always been expected to take the high road, be the bigger person, (insert tired cliche here). The mantle of Ladybug hadn't made things any easier as she had become a role model and the pressure to act maturely only increased. Hell, she'd even extended an olive branch to _Chloe._ For once though, she wanted to be allowed to be upset.

Her teammates may have been ready to forgive and forget, but she wasn't.

Every time the group got together, Adrien was invited and Marinette made a point of pretending he wasn't there. When they got together for training (which Alya now opted to watch rather than participate in), she made a game out of how many 'accidental' shots she could take at him before someone said something. She threw so much shade at her former partner, she could've melted ice with all the salt in her attitude. 

Adrien didn't just lie down and take it though. The days of being a human doormat were long gone. As much as she dished out, he served right back to her, all with a smile on his face. When she tried to ignore him, he made himself impossible to miss. When she tried to get sassy, he cranked up the charm. He'd started keeping a tally of how many times he managed to make her smile while she pretended she wasn't. As much as he thought he would hate fighting with her, he secretly loved it, and the longer it went on, the more he got hooked. He was determined to win her over again.

 

The group was having lunch together at a little bistro near the water one weekend, taking advantage of the last of the warm weather before fall set in in earnest. They were gathered around a table on the patio, Adrien on one end, Marinette on the other, refusing to look his way as she stabbed away at her salad. Chloe and Nate sat next to her on one side, watching in amusement. 

Marinette's phone buzzed on the table and she snatched it up when she saw who the text was from. Adrien listened to Nino explain his latest project with half an ear while watching Marinette fire a series of texts across the table, a smile slowly spreading over her face.

"Now how could you possibly be talking to right now that's more important than us?" Chloe asked, plucking the phone from her hands.

"Hey!" Marinette cried, reaching for it as Chloe kept it out of her reach while scanning her conversation. 

"Oh! Ooh la la!" Chloe grinned deviously, looking around the table. "Guess who's back in town?" A round of whistles and waggling eyebrows made it's way around the table.

"Give me that!" Marinette finally managed to snatch the phone back from her, blushing furiously. 

"I guess we'll be seeing blue boy soon then," Alya teased while Marinette glared at her friends.

"Who's blue boy?" Adrien blurted, earning him some amused and slightly apologetic looks.

"Marinette's favorite boy toy," Chloe smirked. 

"Little more than a 'boy toy' Clo," Nino said. "They were practically engaged."

" _Were engaged_ ," Marinette correctly quietly, still typing away on her phone. 

 _Engaged?_ Adrien thought, his heart stuttering a little.  _Marinette was engaged?_ A little voice in his head reminded him that just because he'd been gone for ten years, didn't mean the world stop turning. She may be single now, but that definitely didn't mean she had always been. Marinette was a catch. Smart, beautiful and successful. There was no way a girl like that spent all of her prime years alone. 

He shot Nino a questioning look, to which his friend responded by mouthing the word "later". 

After that, Marinette kept her head down, not looking at anyone, even as the group continued to tease her. Whoever this Luka was, they all seemed rather fond of him. Adrien wondered what had happened between the two of them that they weren't together, but apparently still on good (possibly intimate) terms. After Chloe and Nate left to meet Chloe's father and Marinette dipped out, ostensibly to work on early designs for her holiday collection, he finally got an explanation.

Apparently, Luka was Juleka's older brother who Adrien vaguely remembered meeting once or twice back in lycée. Marinette had dated a little in her first few years in university before she got together with Luka after the two had danced around each other for years. About three years in they got engaged, but since Luka, both a musician and a travel photographer, was always jetting off for work, they ultimately broke it off after postponing their wedding for nearly two years. Since then, they had been on again, off again whenever Luka was in Paris. The group seemed to expect that they would eventually get their act together and finally get married.

Adrien was hit with an onslaught of jealousy as he imagined his lady with someone else. He couldn't believe he'd never considered the possibility before now. He'd taken for granted that she was currently single. In that moment, he decided to redouble his efforts to win her over. As soon as possible. 

* * *

 

Marinette rushed around her apartment getting ready, hobbling from the closet as she looked for her other shoe. Spotting the toe of the red pump sticking out from under the bed she snatched it up and slipped it on, stepping in front of the mirror to check her appearance. She smoothed down the silk blouse she was wearing and adjusted the hem tucked into the waistband of her jeans so it sat just so.

"Well guys," she asked the kwamis watching her with amused expressions, holding her arms out to her side. "How do I look?"

They giggled, covering their mouths with their little hands. 

"What?"

"Um-" Tikki pointed at Marinette's hair and she turned to the mirror again to find several curlers still locked in place.

"Oh! _Dieu!"_ She scrambled to the bathroom to pull them out and finger comb the curls into place just as the buzzer at the front door rang. 

"Can one of you buzz him in please?!"

"On it!" someone responded, she wasn't sure who. Their little voices sometimes sounded the same when they were excited.

Another wash of hairspray and one last spritz of perfume and she was finally ready, sprinting for the door when a knock could be heard on the other end. She forced herself to stop and take a deep breath before opening it, hoping to look at least partly composed.

" _Bonsoir ange_." Luka greeted smoothly as she pulled the door open, smiling at her over a bouquet of her favorite roses.

"Thank you _mon chou_!" She invited him in while she found a vase for the flowers, displaying them proudly on the table in her kitchenette. 

"Hello everyone," Luka chuckled as he was swarmed by tiny gods. 

Luka had learned her secret about a year into their relationship by accident. He'd showed up to her dorm unannounced to surprise her one evening and found a few of the kwamis hanging out. After a slight freak out, he'd taken the news that his girlfriend was one of Paris' beloved heroes in stride and had formed a great friendship with both the kwamis and her teammates. It was hard not to like Luka. He was so laid back and genuine, Marinette's only real regret was that it had taken her so long to fall for him in the first place.

After Adrien/Chat had disappeared, it had taken time for her to move on. She kept believing he would return and didn't stop trying to reach out to him for nearly two years before she finally gave up. What followed was a string of random, awkward dates, and a few very short relationships that only last a handful of weeks before Luka came along. She'd known him since she was about 15 through Juleka and they had hit it off right from the beginning, but she'd always been too wrapped up in Adrien to do anything about it. Something Luka had always been aware of and had kept his distance out of respect. Finally, at the start of her last year of university, she'd run into Luka at a party and... the rest was history.

Luka was the second big love of her life. They'd been through a lot together, the loss of Luka's mother, Marinette's struggles to get her label off the ground, fights, break-ups, make-ups. He was her first, and at one time she thought he'd be her last. She'd been heartbroken when they'd finally broken off their engagement, and yet, neither seemed to be able to let the other go. Every time he was in town he'd reach out to her to catch up over dinner. Inevitably, they'd end up back at her apartment and for the next few weeks while he was in Paris, they'd be inseparable before he had to leave again for work. 

She knew the cycle wasn't really healthy long term. Marinette wanted to settle down, she wanted a family. She knew Luka wanted those things too, but even at 30, he just didn't really seem to be  _ready_ yet. 

"It's great to see you all, you'll have to excuse me though. I promised this beautiful lady I'd take her to dinner, and if we don't leave soon, we'll miss our reservation." 

The kwamis chimed a chorus of goodbyes and 'nice to see you agains' as Luka turned back to Marinette with a heart stopping grin. "Ready?"

"Yeah, just let be grab my purse." Tikki followed her to the bedroom as she spoke quietly to her kwami. "We'll pry be home around eleven or so, make sure everyone is in the box for the night so we don't have a -ahem- audience," she said, blushing when Tikki gave her a knowing smile and a nod. 

Marinette grabbed her clutch, heading back into the living room where Luka stood waiting with her keys and coat. "Thanks Tikki! See you later."

"Goodnight you two! Have fun!"

 

"So, how was Cuba?" Marinette asked as they ate over a candlelit table in one of their favorite little Spanish spots. 

"Oh," Luka said, sitting back in his chair with a wistful expression. "It was amazing! I'll have to take you there sometime. All the old cars and buildings. Some of the architecture was just stunning and the beaches in Varadero were breathtaking! The old Spanish section of Havana was really neat. You'd love it."

"Sounds wonderful." Marinette smiled back at him though she doubted she'd ever actually get to see the things he was describing. Every time he came back from a trip he said he'd "have to take her there someday". Yet, the only time she'd ever been away with him was a weekend trip to London when they first got engaged. She loved him dearly, but he was so caught up in his work, he sometimes forgot to put proper work into his relationships.

She listened as he waxed poetic about the scenery, and the people he had met and the food he had eaten and the small cantinas he had played in. Luka's passion for life and culture was one of the things she'd always found most attractive about him. Especially when that passion translated into everything he did.

A small shiver ran through her as she thought about the kind of passion that awaited them both when they finally returned to her apartment later that night. Luka was the only man she'd ever been with. Her friends from uni and work had tried to convince her more than once to pursue one night stands or flings when she was feeling particularly _tense_ , but she'd never understood the point. Memories of her and Luka together, along with a little electronic assistance were usually enough to keep her satisfied until he was back again. And lately, she'd been _very_ tense.

 

By the end of a nearly three hour dinner, they had put away almost two bottles of wine and had started playing footsie under the table sometime around the third course. When they finally reached her apartment again, they couldn't keep their hands to themselves, stumbling through her door as they literally tore each others clothes off. Marinette winced when she heard the silk of her blouse ripping and retaliated by stretching the neck of his sweater several inches before tugging it over his head. 

They didn't even make it to the bedroom, instead falling onto the couch together as they fumbled with zippers and skinny jeans and then Luka was tearing open a foil packet with his teeth and threading his fingers through hers as he sank into her. She moaned loudly, wrapping her legs around his waist and locking her ankles behind his hips. He covered her neck and face in kisses as he rocked into her, slowly at first and then with more urgency. 

At some point they rolled from the couch to the floor as Marinette took over, uncaring if they were making enough noise to disturb her neighbors. All night they partook of each other like starved animals until they passed out on the living room floor with only the heat of each other, the small electric fireplace and a throw blanket to keep them warm.

 


	6. Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is short, I mostly wanted to get down the scene where Adrien and Luka meet again. I'm still trying to develop the plot for this story, but it is starting to come together in my brainstorming, so the next few chapters should be a bit more interesting. 
> 
> But.... here you go!

Adrien sighed as he sat across from Chloe at breakfast. After waking up early for years, he may be used to being up when the sun rises, but it didn't mean he liked it. He liked it even less when surrounded by morning people. Chloe sat across from him, happily breathing in the aroma of her pumpkin spice latte, while he frowned over a double espresso. Why had he agreed to meet so early again?

"So, Adrikins, how are you?"

More frowning.

"How's your modeling campaign going? Aren't you shooting a commercial soon?"

Adrien grunted in response as he sipped his drink, hoping the caffeine would give him enough of a jolt to deal with the energy that practically radiated from his friend.  _Seriously? I do not remember her being this perky, like... ever._

Chloe smirked at him as the espresso slowly started to work it's magic in his veins. "You know, I really can't express what a pleasure it is to be so privileged to see the great _Adrien Agreste_ at his finest."

"Ugh, bite me."

Chloe giggled and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "I'll leave that to the bug." 

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I almost forgot. The humane society is hosting an event this weekend. We can count on you to make an appearance right?" She leveled him with a look that said she wasn't really asking. 

"Wouldn't miss it," he drawled, taking another long sip of his already nearly empty drink. 

Chloe clapped her hands together, grinning triumphantly. "Excellent! Now I just need to check with Marinette about my gown for the evening."

"Marinette is dressing you?" 

Chloe waved a hand dismissively as her attention was diverted by her phone. "She nearly always does these days. Her designs aren't bad and it's good exposure for her. Win-win." She paused as her crystal blue eyes flicked up to him for a moment and a devious smile took over her face that immediately made Adrien nervous. "In fact, I bet she could dress you for the evening too. Help promote her skill in men's couture as well. Actually, let's pop over now. She can get your measurements and get started. It's only Sunday, she should have enough time to put something together for you."

She signaled a passing server, ordering another latte to go for both of them, pulling out a wad of cash to expedite their order.

"Uh-" Adrien's mind flashed back to their days in college, remembering how Marinette always seemed to be running late for class, and well, everything really. Like him, she didn't seem like much of a morning person. "-I'm not so sure that's-"

"Come on!" Chloe was standing, pulling him up from his chair and pulling him to the counter to collect their drinks which the barista was just finishing. In record time, she ushered him out to her car, and they were on their way.

_\---_

 "Chloe, I'm really not sure this is a good idea. I don't think Mari will appreciate us waking her up so early on the weekend," Adrien tried again to convince Chloe to cease her present course, even as she dragged him up the stairs of Marinette's building.

Chloe of course ignored him as they finally reached Marinette's apartment. Adrien didn't miss the fact that she used a key rather than knocking. He knew they had become friends in the intervening years, but he hadn't realized they'd become quite  _that_ close. 

Chloe seemed to make an unnecessary amount of noise with the lock and handle before she opened the door and marched right in announcing her presence in a sing-song voice. "Good morning, sunshine!" There was a startled yelp, followed by a bang, and loud grumbling. 

" _Chloe_!"

Adrien stepped through the door just in time to see Marinette, who appeared to have been lying on the floor next to a man with longish blue hair, scramble to cover herself with a blanket. The man still lay beside her on the ground, one hand thrown casually behind his head and looking thoroughly amused.

"Morning, Chloe," he drawled.

"Morning, Luka!" Chloe perched on one of the stools at the kitchen counter, winking at-  _Luka_  -over the edge of her to-go cup. 

" _Chloe_ ," Marinette growled. "What the hell? How many times have I told you, just because you have a key, doesn't mean you can just waltz in here?!"

Chloe rolled her eyes while Luka reached over and snatched up an oversized sweater, pulling it over Marinette's head. It took a moment for Adrien to realize it only looked oversized because it belonged to Luka, not Marinette. It took him another moment to realize he was still standing frozen in the doorway. Stepping inside, he let the door close behind him, drawing the attention of the remainder of the room's occupants. 

Immediately, Marinette's face warmed from pink to red, while Luka's eyes roved lazily over him. He watched as he snatched up another piece of clothing from the floor and pulled it on under the blanket before standing and padding his way into Marinette's kitchen clad only in dark boxers, comfortable as can be. Marinette scrambled up behind him and followed him as he approached her waiting coffee maker and dug two mugs out of the cabinet. Adrien flushed, noting that while the sweater she was wearing seemed to swallow her, it was still only just long enough to cover her, the hem' falling just shy of mid-thigh, and the cowl neck dipping off her shoulder. 

For a moment, all Adrien could do was watch as Luka prepared two mugs of coffee, handing one to Marinette and kissing her on the forehead when she thanked him. The scene was so painfully domestic, Adrien almost felt he was intruding and felt an unusual surge of jealously at the sight. 

"Um-" Marinette cleared her throat self-consciously. "Adrien, this is Luka. Luka, Adrien. Not sure if you remember each other..."

Luka smiled, reaching his hand out to Adrien. "I think just about anyone in Paris would recognize Adrien Agreste, Mari, especially a photographer. But, I do think I remember you. You used to play keyboard right?"

"Uh-yeah. Still do technically."

"Cool." Luka shook his hand before leaning back against the counter, sliding an arm around Marinette's waist. Adrien envied the ease with which Luka seemed to carry himself. Ironic, he knew, coming from a model, but even Adrien had his insecurities. Luka on the other hand, didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Subconsciously, Adrien couldn't help but compare the body that Luka so proudly displayed, to his own. While Luka seemed to be in good shape, all long limbs and lean muscle, Adrien noted with some satisfaction that he was a little bigger and had much better muscle definition. The kind that made many a woman swoon. Chloe snickered, her eyes laughing as she watched him. That's when he noticed that while he was sizing Luka up, he'd unconsciously straightened to his full height, puffing his chest like a proud peacock. 

"As entertaining as this little introduction is," Chloe said, interrupting Adrien's one sided standoff. "We actually came here for a reason."

"And that would be?" Marinette asked, eyes closed as she cradled her coffee mug in front of her face. 

"I wanted to check on the progress of my dress for this weekend and Adrien wanted to commission you for a suit for the event as well. You're welcome."

Marinette gave an exasperated huff and glared at her. "First of all, you only just commissioned your dress a few days ago, so there isn't much to see. Second," she turned her glare on Adrien, "Do you have any idea how long it will take to make a custom suit? You two realize you're not my only clients don't you? I'm still trying to build a business here, and it's not like I have a whole lot of assistance to help with all this work."

Adrien sighed internally. How had he let himself get talked into this little field trip? He'd known as soon as Chloe suggested it that it was a terrible idea. Now he stood in Marinette's kitchen  with Marinette and her half naked ex-fiance, a sight he could have lived without. Judging by the state they'd found them in, and that they were in the living room rather than her bedroom, it didn't take an expert to piece together the state of their relationship.

 _Marinette's favorite boy toy._ That's what Chloe had called Luka the other day. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend who was very clearly  _on_ again. The look on Chloe's face said she knew exactly what they would be walking into when she suggested they stop by, and Adrien deeply resented her for it in that moment.

"You know," Luka said, interupting Adrien's internal grumbling. "Juleka and Rose would probably be happy to help you if you need it. They may not have quite your skill, but they're both quite competent."

"I know they are," Marinette sighed. "They've helped me in the past when I was in a jam. But, I don't exactly have the funds to pay them for their help."

Chloe clicked her tongue. "With the money I pay you to create practically my _entire_ formal wardrobe?"

Marinette gave her a look that said she clearly didn't get paid  _enough_ to handle Chloe's demands. Adrien couldn't help but agree. "I completely understand Mari, if you can't do it.  _Chloe,_ just thought it might be a good chance for you to expand your line. Of course, I know what kind of effort goes into a custom piece. I'm more than willing to pay for it, and get you any help you might need. I may not be associated with the former Gabriel brand anymore, but I still have plenty contacts in the industry."

Marinette scowled, opening her mouth to protest. Adrien knew her pride likely wouldn't allow her to accept his offer of help. At least not at first. So, he was surprised when Luka gently nudged her in the ribs, and after a silent exchange, Marinette pressed her lips together and sighed. "That would be... appreciated. Th-thank you, Adrien."

The words were said through gritted teeth, and he knew it pained her to say them. The Marinette and Ladybug he remembered, hated asking for help. Given how she'd been brushing him off ever since he returned, he was doubly surprised at the response, despite her obvious reluctance to accept. He felt his eyebrows twitch up, and his gaze flicked to Chloe, who was giving Luka a mildly impressed smirk. Luka was rubbing Marinette's arm consolingly, while hiding a smile behind his mug. Apparently that was his doing. 

"Uh, sure. You're welcome."

"Does that mean you take the commission?" Chloe asked, looking triumphant. 

Marinette's jaw flexed, looking Adrien up and down before replying. "I suppose."

"Excellent!" Chloe clapped her hands together, grinning.

* * *

Marinette stood behind Adrien, pencil between her teeth and tape measure in her hands, trying not to be impressed at the breadth of his shoulders, and the neat triangle formed by his trim waist. Normally, she would have models strip down to their underwear for a more accurate measurement, but she didn't _dare_ ask Adrien to so much as take his shirt off. She'd never admit it, but there'd been moments of weakness over the years when she'd drooled over Adrien's latest spread, just like every other hot-blooded woman in the world. Even now, she couldn't deny she was attracted to him. That was one thing that hadn't disappeared with time. An attractive man was still attractive, no matter how much you hated his guts.

And she did. Hate him. Though, she had to repeat it to herself multiple times every time she was around him, because her heart didn't seem to want to listen to her head.

On the other side of the room, Luka was busy showing Chloe pictures from his latest trip, enthralling her with the same stories he'd told Marinette the night before, and Chloe insisted that would be where she and Nate spent their next anniversary. Talking about travel always got Luka excited, and soon he was making suggestions for the most romantic places he had visited over the years. While he spoke, Marinette felt a little twinge of jealousy that he had experienced those places without her, and would likely many more.

Shaking herself from her thoughts before they could get too dark, she wrote down the measurement she had just taken and began asking Adrien questions about the suit she would now be making for him. "Have you given any thought to exactly what _kind_ of suit you're wanting?"

"Well, this isn't nearly as formal an event as the gala was, nor will there be a red carpet so I think a single with two buttons is fine."

"Vest?"

"No, I think I can skip the vest this time."

She nodded as she slipped her pencil back in her mouth an measured his arms, again trying not to be impressed at how round his biceps were. All those years running around in a super-suit had kept him in shape, but she knew he didn't rely on that alone. He was obviously on intimate terms with a gym. "Any thoughts on color?"

"Er, I usually stick with grey or black... what do you think?"

"Hmm," Marinette was in full designer mode now, coming around front to eye him critically, completely ignorant of the way his face heated as she inspected him so closely. She considered his complexion, eye and hair color, factoring in that model confidence that meant he was more able to pull off bolder color choices, as she looked him over, tapping the eraser of her pencil against her chin as she bit her lip in concentration. After a moment she nodded, "grey and purple."

"Purple?" Adrien looked perplexed. Thinking back on it, she couldn't remember seeing him in the color. His stylist it seemed usually preferred to dress him in green. _Amateurs_. 

"Mmhmm. It'll it'll make your eyes stand out more. Not a bright purple, a deep plum maybe. Aubergine. You're tan enough, you can pull it off." She continued her measurements, slinging the tape around his waist and hips, her pencil now stuck in her bun so she could speak freely.

"Judging by the dress Chloe commissioned, I think you can get away with no tie as long as you have the right accessories. Pocket square, lapel pin, cuff links, something a little flashy. Black belt and shoes..." She slid the tape down around his hips as she continued thinking out loud, again missing the blush that crept over Adrien's face as her hands were dangerously close to his groin, especially when she knelt below him to catch his inseam.

"What kind of pant leg do you prefer? I'm thinking a slim cut is best."

"Yep." Adrien's voice was slightly strangled as he scrambled to think of football stats, or kittens, or anything to get his mind off of the goddess at his feet.

Suddenly she was standing again, jotting down the last of her measurements before snatching up her sketch book, her hand flying across the page. A moment later she hunted down her colored pencils and within a few minutes, she presented him with a rough sketch that he had to admit was quite impressive. He raised his eyebrows as he scanned the page, attempting to picture himself in the suit she was showing him.

"Ohhh." Chloe spoke from where she was peeking around his shoulder, startling him. "Nice work Marinette."

"I almost wish this was a formal event," Adrien said. "If this is what you can do with a simple suit, I'd love to see you tackle a tuxedo."

"Perhaps you will one day Agreste," she replied with a proud smirk. "Now though, I have double the work I did when I woke up so out you go!" She shooed him and Chloe out the door while Luka waved his goodbyes.

Once the door was shut behind them, Marinette dropped onto the couch with a heavy sigh. "It's too early for this." She rubbed her eyes, wanting to crawl back into bed, but her mind was awake now, and her hands were itching to get started on her work. Luka sat beside her, his hands coming up to rub her shoulders. She moaned, leaning into his touch.

"Come back to bed then."

"I wish I could," she whined. "I wasn't kidding though, I have so much work to do now. I still have three other commissions in addition to Chloe and Adrien's for this weekend, and I still need to finalize my holiday pieces if I want to have anything ready to hit the stores in time this year." She had contracts with some local boutiques that carried her work. Mostly accessories, but it helped pay the bills between commissions and runway sales. 

"Should I go?" 

She grimaced. "I'd love the company, but I'm afraid it'll be pretty boring for you while I'm working."

Luka just smiled and kissed her cheek, he knew the drill. "Alright, but don't work too hard. I know how you can get. I'll check in on you later to make sure you're actually eating and getting some sleep alright?"

She smiled back at him. "No promises."

"I'll see you later,  _mon ange_." He gave her a kiss that almost had her wanting to drag him back to her room, but eventually managed to pull herself away with great difficulty. 

"Later,  _mon chou._ " One more quick peck and he was gone.

Marinette flopped back on her sofa with a groan, allowing herself exactly one minute to wallow before pulling herself up and heading into the room she used as a studio. Looking over the measurements she'd just taken again, she immediately got to work on a pattern before setting it aside until she could get to the fabric store later that week, and instead turned her attention on the dress dummy that held the pattern for Chloe's design. It was a fairly simple design for once, and if she could knock it out quickly, she'd have more time to focus on Adrien's suit. Ideally, she'd like to have them both in for a fitting before Thursday so she'd have plenty of time to finish before Saturday, and could get back to the rest of the pieces she still needed to work on. 

Taking a moment to stretch, she headed to the kitchen to brew some more coffee and to check in on the kwamis that were still hidden away in the miraculous box since last night. Once satisfied they were all well, she poured the entire pot of coffee into a thermos and headed back to her studio. 

"Alright," she said, turning on her favorite work playlist and cracking her knuckles. "Let'd do this!"


	7. "I'm just a notch in your bedpost, and you're just a line in a song..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CAUTION: The opening scene is a bit explicit. Some of you were curious about Adrien's 'love life' and wether he was a virgin (cough cough), this should clear that up for you. For those who'd rather not read the details, skip to the last couple paragraphs before the first break. That's where the important emotional info from that scene is. End disclosure.
> 
> This chapter mostly focuses on Adrien, as we gain a little more insight into the man the last eleven years have made him. 
> 
> Yay, character development!

_Ugghhh._

Adrien groaned internally, wishing the room would catch fire or something equally exciting would happen to save him from the boredom he was drowning in as the pretty redhead in front of him droned on and on, telling a story he'd stopped listening to about two minutes ago.

"Isn't that just the funniest thing?" she giggled, swatting his arm. 

Obligingly, he grinned back and nodded.  _The hell had she been talking about again? Her dog? Or was it her grandmother?_  His eyes started roving around the room looking for a way to exit present company now that her story was over and it would appear less rude of him to excuse himself. 

His search was abruptly interrupted when he felt her hand touch his chest and slide suggestively over his torso. "I'm sure you've heard this plenty tonight, but you look  _amazing_ in that suit." She reached up with one hand to finger his collar where just the very top button was undone. She leaned in, her chest touching his and her lips brushing his ear. "I'd love to see how it looks on my floor," she whispered.

Suddenly, his collar was too tight. 

He eyed her up and down as she pulled back from him with a seductive smile.  _Yes, you'll do for the night._  He thought. _Now what was her name again?_ "Well, A-nna...belle?" he knew he'd guessed right when her smile widened. "That sounds like a fabulous idea."

Biting her lip, she laced her arm through his and lead him out of the venue. On the way, he caught Chloe's eye from across the room and gave her a wink and a grin. She frowned slightly when she saw who he was leaving with, but nodded in farewell before returning to the conversation she was engaged in. Once out front, Annabelle informed Adrien that she had arrived by taxi earlier and needed a ride home, so he had his car called around and helped her into the back seat, before giving his driver the woman's address. 

It didn't take her long to find the button for the privacy partition, and as soon as they pulled away from the curve, she was suddenly in his lap. Her hands worked on his belt while her mouth attached itself to his neck. He winced when she suckled particularly hard. "Easy darling. I have photo shoots this week, can't go leaving marks like that."

"Just giving you a preview," she purred against his throat as she finally freed him from his boxers and began stroking him. She met his eye for a second, licking her lips before ducking her head into his lap. 

 _Jesus...._ This woman worked fast. They weren't even to her apartment yet. Still, he let his head fall back and his hands lace in her hair as he allowed himself to enjoy what she was offering. Years of habit took over and soon he was half thrusting into her mouth while her hands clung to his hips. He finished without warning, but she didn't seem to mind, boldly swallowing and licking her lips as she sat up, smirking at him. Once they arrived at her apartment, he gave his driver discrete instructions to drive around for half an hour before returning, and then followed her upstairs.

She headed through the door before him, kicking off her shoes and sweeping her long hair over her shoulder as she led him to her bedroom. Looking back at him, she asked, "unzip me?"

"With pleasure."

He smirked when he noted the only thing she had on under her skin tight dress was a paper thin lace thong, which he ripped off a moment later after she'd relieved him of his shirt and jacket. Turning her away from him again, he snaked his hands around her chest before sliding down her flat stomach and between her thighs. He took a minute to play with her while his own arousal returned before bending her over the side of her mattress and testing just how rough she liked to play. 

Once again, he finished without warning, only just holding out long enough to give her pleasure as well. She lay beneath him, her back arched in an impressive display of flexibility, and turned her head to kiss him, one hand reaching up to the back of his head, tugging on his hair. His own hand that was still tightly wound in her hair, tugged in response before breaking the contact and pulling out of her. 

As soon as he released her, she rolled onto her back and latched her legs around his waist to keep him from leaving as he'd planned. Sitting up, she dragged her nails over his body, causing him to shudder. "You're every bit as good as I've heard."

"Oh? And what have you heard?"

"That you've left a string of scorched panties and broken hearts from Hong Kong to LA."

"Well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to add another to the list then."

She pouted, her legs tightening around him as he felt her ankles lock behind his hips. 

"Sorry,  _cheri_. I have to be up early tomorrow."

"You can stay here."

"I need to check on my dog," he lied. 

"Surely he'll be fine for one night?" He frowned disapprovingly at her and she finally relented with a huff.

"Fine. But before you go..." she grabbed either side of his head and slammed her lips into his and unceremoniously stuck her tongue in his mouth. It was a good moment before she let him come up for air. "Something to remember me by."

It took all his years of practice to fake a smile, before he was pulling his clothes on again in a hurry and rushing out the door. Glancing at his phone, he saw it had only been about 20 minutes since his driver had dropped him off, but luckily he was already idling at the curb. Adrien hopped in the back seat with a relieved sigh.

"Thank God you're here Antony. I'm not sure I would've made it out alive if I had to wait." His driver, who was well used to Adrien's exploits with women after years of working for him merely nodded and pulled back onto the road.

As Adrien watched the scenery of downtown Paris pass by, he felt the very last of the short-lived high he'd achieved only moments ago vanish completely, leaving him feeling just as hollow as he inevitably always did after a night like this. No matter how many times he told himself, it was what he needed, there was no denying that the physical pleasure that came from each woman he bedded became less and less satisfying over time. Part of him knew it was because he craved more than just physical intimacy, but until recently, he hand't been ready to face that fact. 

A pair of big blue eyes, fringed in dark wisps of hair flashed in his mind's eye, and he quickly shoved the image away.

Dragging a hand over his face, he came to a decision as he scrolled through the contacts on his phone and dialed. Because of the lateness of the hours, he naturally got a voicemail, but left his name and number, asking the secretary to call him back in the morning.

It was time for another therapy session, and for once, he was finally ready to talk.

* * *

Marinette snipped the end of the last stitch before stepping back to admire her work. This particular commission had been one of her favorites to work on, then again, anything Jagged commissioned from her was usually her favorite thing to work on. After all these years, and the countless pieces she'd made for him, he usually only have her a general idea of what he wanted before handing her the reigns and letting her do her thing. Without fail, he would gush over every piece she presented to him, and no matter how busy she was, she always accepted his requests. He'd been a big part of the reason she'd become as successful as she was. 

This particular piece was a silky black moto jacket trimmed in glittery yellow gold with Jagged's symbol emblazoned on the back in bright purple. The collar and cuffs were studded with gold metals pieces in various shapes and sizes and she'd even added a matching belt and gloves to complete the look. He was going to love it. 

"Ohh that turned out amazing!" cooed Emil beside her, startling her. She'd been so in the zone while working on this piece, she'd forgotten she wasn't alone.

On Monday morning, as promised, Emil had showed up at her door, having been sent by Adrien to assist her with her commissions. He had quickly proved himself to be very skilled with needle and thread, and once Marinette had all of her patterns cut and ready, she felt comfortable enough to hand the basic work over to him while she focused on the more minute details like embroidery and detail stitching. As luck would have it, she'd been able to find the exact fabrics she wanted at the first store she'd stopped at and with Emil's help, she'd had Adrien and Chloe's outfits for the humane society event done by Wednesday. A quick fitting proved Marinette's measurements to be near perfect and by Thursday evening, the dress and suit were out the door.

As it turned out, Adrien had arranged for Emil to be available for Marinette's use for the entire week and she'd taken full advantage of it, even after she was finished with Adrien's commission. Emil had worked on the other two designs Mari still needed to finish while she focused on Jagged's piece and sketched out a few things for her holiday collection that she would begin creating samples of the following week to shop around.

"Thanks! Jagged's designs are always the most fun to do."

"I can't believe you actually know Jagged Stone! I'm so jealous! I've had a crush on him since I was a teenager!"

Marinette giggled. "Well, if you wanna come by tomorrow, perhaps you can meet him when he comes to pick this up. Unfortunately though, he is a married man, you know?"

"I know! Tragic!" Emil theatrically slapped a hand over his chest as though he'd been shot and Marinette giggled again. She'd grown quite fond of the young designer over the last few days, and lamented that she couldn't afford to keep him around after this. Maybe one day...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar ringtone she'd set years ago for her best friend. Snatching up her phone, she answered the FaceTime with a teasing smile. "Alya, I'm surprised you're awake this late. Doesn't that baby make you sleepy?"

"Normally yes, but I was up browsing the fashion blogs-"

"Fashion blogs?! What on earth for?"

"To see what people were writing about your designs of course! I know this wasn't nearly as big an event as the gala was, but wherever Adrien Agreste goes, the press follows."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Please don't ever repeat those words in front of him. His ego doesn't need anymore stroking."

"Whatever. Point is, I found something!" Alya grinned from the other side of the screen at Mari as she waited for her to continue.

"...well? Care to share with the class?"

Alya waggled her eyebrows at her. "Believe it or not, this piece was written by a blogger at  _Vogue_."  _Vogue? Wow._ "She says some pretty complimentary things about the suit itself, but says that the color choice and decision to eschew both vest and tie were bold." She watched Alya's eyes focus on something to her left, probably her laptop as she began quoting directly from the article.

"' _When asked why he chose to wear purple, a color oft associated with the villain_ Hawkmoth _, his late father,_ M _Agreste responded, 'black is often associated with darkness and evil, yet when Chat Noir first appeared to assist ladybug, dressed in an all black suit, no one asked if he was a demon. We don't shy away from the color black regardless of past demonic association, why should this be any different?' He went on to further the idea that a color is not undesirable simply because of it's past affiliations by saying, 'we should also remember that, like Ladybug, and the rest of Team Miraculous, the_ _Butterfly was created as a force for good. It was the user who corrupted its power, not the other way around.'"_

Marinette was stunned for a moment.  _That was actually... a really great response._ She hadn't considered the fact that people might associate the color purple with Hawkmoth, especially since it was well known he had been Adrien's father, she'd simply assumed he'd always wore green because it was Chat's color and what everyone else said he should wear. Still, no matter how great an answer it was, she was loathe to admit that he may well have just saved her ass from a massive design mistake.

She rolled her eyes dramatically, "of course, he'd have to bring up Chat Noir."

Alya gave her a significant look, reminding her that Emil was still there. "I-I mean, you know, cause he was always such a - fan."

"Yeah..." Alya agreed with a vaguely amused nod.

"Either way," Emil said, butting in to the conversation. "You gotta admit, that was a good save. N-no offense Mlle Dupain-Cheng, that was a brilliant design you had but even I missed the purple thing. Sure it's a great color on him, he pulls it off well, but... yeah. Hawkmoth."

"Yeah..." Marinette agreed reluctantly while Alya was clearly trying to hold back her laugh. 

"Anyways... I think I'm going to bed now. I'll report in tomorrow with whatever else I find on Shénqí Couture originals. G'night my lovely."

"Good night Alya." Marinette quickly hung up her phone and turned to Emil. "Well, I think that's enough for tonight yeah? Thanks for all your help this week!"

"Yeah! Absolutely. I enjoyed working with you, I hope we can collaborate again soon!" 

She watched as Emil packed up his things and headed out the door before breaking out the wine, and finally releasing the kwamis from their week long confinement. She had sent a text to Luka earlier to come over, but he was out with some friends and wouldn't likely make it over before she passed out. A fact she was quite unhappy about since it freed her mind to ponder indefinitely on a certain blonde model...

* * *

"I don't know," Adrien sighed, staring at the ceiling. "I mean it didn't start this way. Not at first. My first time was... awkward. Then of course the girl had to go and sell the story. Apparently any story about the son of a super villain will sell..." He frowned, thinking back on when the story first broke. It mostly only circulated through the trashier tabloids, but it was enough to be a colossal embarrassment for him. At the time he was shocked he was even still getting modeling work, but it turned out that just as much as stories about him sold papers, advertisements featuring him apparently sold clothes.

The world always did have a morbid fascination with tragedy.

"The next time, I tried to be a bit more careful. To her credit, she didn't sell the story, but she did still spread it around. It seemed that bedding the son of Hawkmoth was considered something of an achievement. So, I stopped caring. I had avoided dating in general, but until that point, I had also avoided hooking up with coworkers and especially fans. I didn't want to take advantage of them, until I realized they were taking advantage of me too. If they were willing and wanted to add another notch in their belt, who was I to deny them?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw the therapist fidget in his seat and he smiled sardonically. "I'm well aware of how harsh that sounds. The fashion industry is very cut throat. The only way to really survive is to play the game, and believe me, there are plenty others who play it better than me. I was just lucky enough to have a head start in the industry thanks to  _dear old dad_."

That got a raised eyebrow from Dr Laurent. Adrien had started seeing the man after the night he discovered Marinette/Ladybug's identity. After unleashing a decades worth of pent up emotions in one night, he finally could acknowledge that he needed help. He'd never really been great about opening up about his personal life. Even when he used to spend hours on Marinette's balcony as a teenager, they never discussed his home life, only his general likes and dreams. So, it wasn't really a surprise when it took several sessions before he began opening up to Dr Laurent. 

So far, he'd mainly discussed his friends, how his leaving had affected his relationships with them, and how he was working to rebuild them. He'd still mostly remained tight lipped about Marinette. His feelings regarding her were complicated at best, and it seemed far too personal to discuss yet. Even with his therapist. Another topic he had been avoiding was his father, something the good doctor had been gently trying to pry out of him since he had started seeing him. It didn't take a psychologist to know that the root of all his issues started with Gabriel Agreste. 

Still, what he wanted to talk about now, didn't really necessitate talking about his father, so he plowed on before the doctor could ask.

"Over the years, I worked my way through an impressive number of women, as was well catalogued by the media. Well, impressive depending on who's judging I suppose. Some might call it disgusting."

"What do you call it?" the doctor's smooth voice washed over him and he paused for a moment to think critically about the question.

"I'm... not sure. But, I wouldn't say I'm proud of it. Not anymore."

He thought of Nino and Alya, who had only ever been with each other. Then he thought of Marinette, who, as far as he knew, had only been with one man. He wondered what she thought of his  _past_. Surely she didn't look favorably on it. He couldn't help but wonder what might have happened between the two of them if he had stayed. Might they have been each other's first instead? Would they have stayed together? Or would he have eventually fucked it up? It seemed it was his lot in life to be cursed with bad luck, whether that was because of Plagg or if he'd always been that way he wasn't sure.

Dr Laurent was regarding him patiently from his seat, seeming to realize Adrien was lost in his own thoughts and waiting to see if he would share them. He shifted his position on the chaise, clearing his throat. He still wasn't ready to talk about her. "In any case, it's not like I can change any of it right? It is what it is. What matters now is how I move forward right?"

"...indeed." The man nodded sagely, making a short note on his pad before continuing. "So, how do you plan on moving forward?"

"Well.... I think I'm done with one night stands, for starters. To be honest, they were never really all that satisfying to begin with and lately, they mostly just leaving me feeling a bit... empty. I'm not sure I'm ready to try dating either though. So, I'm not really sure where that leaves me."

"Who said you have to do either? It's ok not date and to not have sex. Sometimes we need a break from both. It's a good opportunity to focus on yourself and figure out what it is you truly want." He glanced at his watch and uncrossed his legs, signaling their session was almost at an end. "That's what I'd like you to focus on for the time being. Take some time to yourself each day and really think about what it is you want for yourself. Do you want to be single? Do you want a relationship? Would you eventually like a family? Once you have the answers to those questions, you can start figuring out where to go from there."

Adrien sat up and smiled weakly. "Thanks Doc."

The older man smiled gently in return. "Of course Adrien. Don't forget that self care is important. I know you're trying to rebuild your friendships, but don't forget to take time for yourself as well. Same time next week?"

"Yeah," he agreed, standing and shaking the man's hand before taking his coat and leaving the office. 

Once outside the building, he waved off his driver, deciding to talk the long way home instead. It was early November, but the weather was still pleasant, and Dr Laurent had given him a lot to think on. He fingers brushed something soft and silky in his pocket, and he pulled out the little, purple pocket square, running his thumb over the delicate gold embroidery, tucked away in one of the corners, that held the name of the person who'd created it.

 _Yes,_ he decided. The fresh air would do him good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I read every comment. I love hearing what you guys think about each chapter, sometimes you make observations that even I, as the writer, didn't notice (like the fact that people might associate the color purple with Hawkmoth...oops). It helps me continue building the story and the characters moving forward, so please, please keep them coming!


	8. Go Your Own Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this is a bit of an angst fest.
> 
> I just posted a chapter a few hours ago, but this came to me while I was at work and I had to get it out, so you lovely people get two chapters in one day!

"Great! Sounds wonderful. I'm looking forward to working with you!" Marinette hung-up the phone and slumped back in her work chair with a heavy sigh. 

"Everything alright Marinette?" Tikki asked quietly, hovering nearby. 

Ever since the humane society event, Marinette had been bombarded with calls and emails from potential clients as well as a few shops and boutiques interested in collaborating on custom lines. This call had come through early in the morning while she was still in bed and she had regretfully left Luka sleeping in her bedroom to take it. She longed to return there and snuggle up to him again, but she now had an even fuller plate than she knew what to do with. 

Alya and Chloe had definitely been right about the exposure she would get from dressing Adrien. 

"Yeah, Tikki. I just... I don't think I can do this on my own anymore." She frowned, hating to admit it out loud. "I need help."

"Does that mean you're going to be working with Emil again?"

"I wish. None of these clients are paying in advance. I won't have any money coming in until they come in for fittings or until I actually sign a deal with one of these stores. I still have no way to pay him."

"Well, maybe if he knows there's actually money coming, he'll be willing to wait?"

"Maybe. And if I had help, that money could be coming in even faster..." She bit her lip, thinking it over. This was what she had been working so hard for, her business was gaining traction, and if she wanted to keep the momentum going, she would have to spend the money on help. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask?"

She lifted her phone again to give him a call, only to realize that despite working together for an entire week, she'd never gotten his number.

"Damnit!" 

Tikki raised her eyebrows at the outburst.

"I don't have Emil's number which means... I'm going to have to ask Adrien for it." She grimaced at her phone while Tikki suppressed a giggle.

The kwami had been trying to convince her to lighten up on Adrien. While she acknowledged Marinette's feelings and her right to be upset, she insisted that she could still play nice. 

"So ask him then."

She groaned quietly before opening her contacts and hovering over the first one on the list. Blowing out a breath, she hit send and held the phone to her ear, listening to it ring. 

"Mm-hello?" a gravely voice answered after about the fifth ring, just as Marinette was about to hang up.

"Uh- hey Adrien!" Marinette said, wincing when her voice rose about an octave higher than necessary. She shook her head at herself, reacting like a lovestruck teenager, but God did he sound sexy first thing in the morning. "It's uh- Marinette. Sorry to wake you so early but um... I was wondering if I could get Emil's contact info from you?"

There was a slight pause on the other end where she was sure his half asleep brain was attempting to process what she was saying. "...who?"

"Emil. The designer you sent to help me out last week?"

"...Oh. Right. Uh, yeah sure. I can text it to you. Is... everything alright? Did he do something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no! He was wonderful!" she hurried to assure him. "I actually... well, I've been getting a lot more orders than usual and I was hoping I could enlist his help again... Thanks for that by the way." She added the last before she could think better of it. Really, it was the least she could do after all the help he'd given her. Emil had been a Godsend. 

"Oh," she heard a rustle of fabric on the other end and guessed he was sitting up in bed. Idly she wondered how he preferred to sleep. T-shirt and boxers? Sans shirt? Sans boxers? As soon as the mental image appeared, she regretted it. A shirtless (or better yet, naked) Adrien, combined with that scratchy morning voice was a lethal combination. Instead she tried to focus on the man sleeping in the next room over as he continued. 

"That's great Mari! I can suggest a couple other people if you need more help?"

"Oh, no. That's ok. I can barely afford Emil as it is. Besides, I'm already comfortable with him. Not sure I really have the time or patience to break someone new in right now."

"Ok. Well, let me know if that changes. I'm glad things are going well for you Mari." The sincerity in his voice was almost enough to do her in. It reminded her so much of that sweet young boy she remembered from lycée, and she was hit with a wave of nostalgia so strong, she had to quickly end the call before she ended up in tears. 

"Yeah. Uh, thanks. Listen I gotta go, if you could just text me his number, that'd be great!"

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks!... Bye!" She hung up as she heard him calling goodbye to her on the other end, and buried her face in her hands. She took a few deep breaths to calm the riot of emotions in her chest, as she tried to reason out what had caused such a strong reaction.

While no one could deny that she had certainly moved on from Adrien, a tiny part of her had to admit that she hadn't fully let him go. There was still that tiny bit of hope inside her heart, that clung to the memory of the boy he used to be, still waiting for him to come back to her. Her _chaton_. 

But that boy didn't exist anymore, she reminded herself. He disappeared eleven years ago, and while Adrien had physically returned, he wasn't the same person anymore. Just as she wasn't the same starry-eyed school girl anymore. It was well past time to let go of that little ray of hope, even though her heart positively rebelled at the thought.

Marinette was an optimist by nature. She usually chose to see the best in people, and for the last several weeks since Adrien/Chat had returned, she'd been doing the near opposite, though she was't entirely sure why anymore. 

* * *

Across town, Adrien sat starring at the phone in his hand 

 _She'd called him._  

For once, they'd had a conversation, however short, that hadn't involved any sarcastic comments or eye-rolling (so he assumed at least). He could only imagine what it had cost her to reach out to him for help, but he was glad she had just the same. 

"Earth to lover boy!" His thoughts were interrupted when Plagg butted into his line of sight. 

"Huh? What?"

"Sheesh," Plagg shook his head as he crossed his tiny arms over his chest. "I haven't seen you like this since you were a kitten."

"Shut up." Adrien grumbled, even as his face burned. "Did you need something?" 

"Yeah, I was just wondering where my breakfast was."

Adrien looked at the clock and rolled his eyes. "Plagg, it's barely 7AM. Normally, you're still sleeping right now." He took a moment to marvel at the fact that  _Marinette_ had called him at 7AM. She must really be busy if she was up that early. 

"Whatever, your phone woke me up. Now I'm starving."

Adrien sighed, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. "There should be some Camembert in the fridge. If not, there's definitely some Brie." Plagg zoomed off before he even finished his sentence.

Looking through his calendar, he noted that he didn't have anything scheduled for the day until eleven. For a moment, he debated going back to bed, but instead decided to hit the gym. An hour later, he was wiping the sweat from his face with a towel as he wandered back down the hall to his rooms. Out of nowhere, Dr Laurent's comment about self-care from a few days ago hit him, and he found himself wandering into the family wing. He wasn't sure yet where exactly he was going, but decided to just go with it. 

A moment later, he stood in front of the door to his childhood bedroom, his hand hovering over the handle. He hadn't set foot through this door since the day he left Paris all those years ago. He wasn't sure what had brought him here, and a part of him begged him to turn around. Another part though, a bigger part, said this was something he needed to do. He'd made a commitment to himself to start shuffling through the baggage of his past and start moving forward. This was a good a place to start as any.

Taking a deep breath, he turned the handle, and stepped through. 

The furniture had been covered before he left, and though someone clearly kept the room regularly cleaned, given the general lack of dust, it seemed everything had remained untouched. Posters hung on the wall where he had left them, there was a shelf still covered in fencing trophies in one corner, and even his old desktop was still where he had left it. He noticed a little orange light in the corner of the monitor and realized it must've been left on all this time. Strange that.

Out of curiosity, he stepped forward and nudged the mouse, the screen coming to life as he was greeted by images of a much younger Ladybug. Unconsciously, he reached out to touch her likeness as flashes of memories returned to him. Ladybug smiling at him, rolling her eyes at a silly pun, rebuffing his attempts at flirtation with a playful flick of his bell collar or pushing him away with a finger to the nose. Warmth spread through him as he recalled how it felt to be near her, fighting side by side, just Chat Noir and his lady. 

Abruptly, those memories were interrupted by less pleasant ones: Ladybug scowling down at him, punching him in the face, turning her back on him and swinging away, Marinette in tears as she asked him why he never returned...

He retracted his hand, squeezing his eyes shut as his heart constricted painfully. He'd hurt her. He knew that. He'd hurt all of them. He wasn't sure he could ever really make it up to them, but he was grateful they'd given him the chance. And, while Mari still held on to her anger, he could feel her thawing out, little by little. He knew they could never go back to the way they had been. He'd never truly be her partner again, not after he'd betrayed her. He'd take what he could get though, and this morning, a phone call without any name calling or biting comments.... that felt like progress. He clung to that.

Walking deeper into the room, he approached the piano and stared down at it for a moment before throwing off the cover and running a hand over the smooth, polished wood. Playing piano was something he used to do with his mother. He'd loved it back then, before it had become something he did to please his father. As he lifted the lid and ran his fingers over the ivory keys, hitting a few to test out the sound, he felt himself compelled to play for the first time in years. 

Pulling out the bench, he took a seat and rested his hands on the keys, unsure of how to begin. He hadn't played in so long, he wasn't sure he remembered how to anymore. Then, of their own accord, his fingers began playing a melody he remembered from childhood. One his mother used to play for him. The song was light and airy and it reminded him of sunshine. Of her.

Muscle memory took over, and soon he was playing a selection of tunes he had favored when he was younger. All so different from the somber, classical pieces his father usually requested. By the time he finished, and replaced the lid over the keys, he felt lighter than he had in... he couldn't remember how long.

Meanwhile, downstairs, all activity in the servants quarters had halted as the housekeeper, driver, and cook listened to the young master play. A sound they hadn't heard in over a decade. When he finally stopped, they all seemed to wake up, and exchanged teary glances, grinning broadly. 

* * *

 

About two weeks later, the gang sat around a VIP table at one of the swankiest bars in town, courtesy of Adrien. Emil had thankfully agreed to return and help Marinette indefinitely, more than willing to wait to be paid until she was, and with his help, they had knocked out a few of the commissions she had received, as well as gotten a head start of the remainder, and the first round of orders from her holiday collection. In celebration, Alya had insisted they all go out, even though she wouldn't be able to drink with them.

Adrien had suffered through the last two hours, watching her cuddle up to Luka from across the table as he continuously reminded himself that he didn't have a right to be jealous. He had given her up years ago when he left, it was to be expected that she had moved on. Still, he was only just coming to terms with the fact that he still had feelings for her, and having that reminder literally shoved in his face was a hard pill to swallow. 

Idly, he rubbed the silk square in his pocket, that had become more like a totem in the last couple of weeks. Once upon a time, it had been the lucky charm that she had given him, one that he had found again after going through the things in his old room, but it seemed almost too personal now. Something he hadn't earned the right to carry anymore. So, instead, he held on to a stolen memento. If you defined stolen as an item that had been created specifically for him and for which he had paid...

He watched Marinette giggle at something Luka said before clumsily getting to her feet and announcing, "I have to pee!"

Alya shook her head and stood as well. "I'll come with you girl. Make sure you don't trip down the stairs and break your neck in those damn heels."

The rest of the table snickered as Marinette pouted adorably, and Alya lead her away. Nino watched them both go with a fond smile, and Adrien marveled again that even after nearly 15 years together, he seemed just as besotted with his wife as he had when they first started dating. He looked to the other couple at the table, where Chloe sat nestled under her husbands arm as they spoke quietly to one another.

He had spent some time pondering his conversation with Dr Laurent a couple of weeks ago, as far as giving thought to what he wanted for the future. He still wasn't entirely sure, but the more he observed the other couples around him, the more he started to crave what they had. 

His musings were cut off when he heard a vaguely familiar voice behind him.

"Well, well. If it isn't Luka Couffaine. Finally back in Paris are you?" Adrien looked over his shoulder to see a tall, thin, woman with a sharp, dark bob approach, wearing a teasing smile. It took him a moment to realize why she was so familiar.

"Kagami?!"

Her eyes cut to him, her brows rising as a grin spread over her face. "Adrien! Oh my goodness. I haven't seen you in years! How are you?" He stood as she pulled him into a hug, taking a step back to look at him. "You've certainly grown up. You're much taller than I remember."

"A bit, yeah." He grinned down at her, from a few inches higher up than the last time they'd met face to face. 

"I bet I could still take you though," she teased, taking an offensive stance and Adrien laughed. 

"I don't doubt it. I'm a little out of practice and I recall you used to love kicking my ass."

"You made it too easy sometimes," she said, poking him playfully in the ribs. "Still, I miss sparing with you."

"Me too." He sobered a second later, recalling that she was yet another person he had left behind without a word. "I'm sorry, for leaving so abruptly-"

She waved him off small smile. "No need to apologize. I get it. You were going through a rough time. I can't imagine anyone blames you for leaving," she said, completely ignorant of the ironic looks she was getting around the table. "Water under the bridge, as the Americans say. Are you back in Paris for a while?"

"Looks like it yeah. I'm on an extended contract with a local brand at the moment. Not sure what I'll be doing after that."

"I see. Well, perhaps while you're here, you can help me convince your friend here to come work for me," she said, nodding at Luka. 

"You two know each other?" he asked curiously, when he noticed the way Luka squirmed under her scrutiny. 

"Yeah, I'm a magazine editor. We've published quite a lot of Luka's work over the last few years. He's one of my best photographers, but to my everlasting disappointment, he's still free lance. He refuses to go full time with us." She smirked at Luka, presumably thinking she'd found an ally in Adrien, who was now mighty curious about the relationship between the two as Luka blushed, his eyes darting around the room.

"I prefer not to be dictated to as to what subjects and locales I should be shooting, Mlle Tsurugi."

"And as I've told you,  _M_ Couffaine," she said, responding with the same level of formality. "You could submit photos of the sewers in India for all I care, so long as I'm the only one with the privilege of publishing your work." She winked at him, and Luka's cheeks blushed even deeper. 

Was she...  _flirting_ with him?

Just then, Marinette and Alya returned, the former exclaiming loudly when she saw who had joined them. Just as suddenly as Marinette appeared, the teasing in Kagami's expression disappeared, and if he wasn't mistaken, for a moment, she looked sad.

"Kagami! How are you?"

"Marinette," she replied politely. "I'm doing well. How are you?"

"Gooooood," she said, almost falling into Luka's lap. Adrien didn't miss the way Kagami's expression tightened when she saw his arm go around her waist to keep her from falling over. Seemed Marinette had already had a bit more to drink than expected. 

Alya chuckled as she returned to her seat, giving her husband a kiss on the cheek. "We're celebrating," she informed Kagami, whose eyes darted to Marinette's left hand before returning to Alya.

"Celebrating what exactly? If you don't mind my asking?" The longer he watched her, the more the pieces fell into place for Adrien. Kagami had feelings for Luka, and judging by his uncomfortable demeanor and the way he seemed to subconsciously distance himself from Marinette a little, he was either aware, and not wanting to hurt her, or perhaps, returned those feelings in some way.

Marinette was completely oblivious to the subtext in the conversation however, as she waved at Kagami to have a seat. "Join us!"

Kagami looked uncomfortable and a bit unsure. 

"Marinette's business has been taking off lately," he supplied. "She'd been working hard the last couple of weeks, we're celebrating a job well done."

She turned and narrowed her eyes at him, silently asking a question he could't fathom. It was a moment before he realized that, aside from Nino, she was the only other person he had told about his crush on Marinette when they were younger. How she remembered that after all these years, and why she would think he'd still be holding onto that crush (regardless of whether he actually was), was beyond him.

He smiled at her, speaking quietly. "Don't feel obliged to stay. I understand if you don't want to." Subtly he nodded to Luka, and her eyes widened.

"That obvious huh?" she asked miserably. He just smiled ruefully. He was sure he was the only one at the table who noticed. Most likely because he was the only one who could relate. 

"Come onnn!" Marinette insisted, waving over a passing waiter. "Have a drink with us!"

"Can I get you something Mlle?" the server asked.

Kagami still looked unsure, but it was clear she felt obligated to stay now. Adrien felt for her. "Um, sure, a glass of champagne I suppose."

"Actually," Adrien said, stopping the server before they could leave. "A round for the whole table."

"Except me," Alya interjected, proudly rubbing her still mostly flat belly. Nino, laid a hand over hers and nuzzled her cheek. They were really too adorable sometimes. Normally, he thought it was cute, right now, it just made him feel a bit sick. Kagami seemed to agree as she took a seat next to him, trying to hide her grimace. 

He took her hand under the table and gave it a squeeze, which she returned with the same rueful smile he'd given her earlier. It seemed, there was perhaps one friendship he could easily fall back into, and one he was immensely grateful for at the moment. 

His eyes subconsciously found Marinette again across the table. He thought about how Kagami's first assumption when told they were celebrating was that she and Luka were engaged again, and he realized, it was something he was dreading too.

He sighed internally, trying to ignore the throbbing in his chest. It looked like he had something else to talk to Dr Laurent about, finally.

* * *

Marinette raised her glass along with her friends as they toasted, and took a sip, enjoying the feel of the bubbles on her tongue. 

Beside her, Luka cleared his throat, calling everyones attention. "I actually have an announcement to make."

Marinette frowned a little, not entirely sure what he was talking about, though she had a bad feeling she already knew.

"I just contracted with National Geographic again. I'll be leaving in two weeks for a two month expedition in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore."

Around the table, everyone oohed, and ahed, congratulating him, while Marinette felt her stomach drop and immediately sobered. Only Adrien noticed how her expression fell at the news and watched as she downed the rest of her champagne in one gulp.

_He's leaving again._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. To my fellow Americans: Happy Thanksgiving!


	9. End Of The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette makes a very important decision.

Marinette managed to smile along with the group for the rest of the evening, though she didn't say much after Luka's surprise announcement.

_He's leaving again._

She repeated the words in her mind like a mantra. She should't have been surprised. This was what always happened. He came back to town after a long trip and shacked up with her until it was time to leave again. Same old song and dance. So why did it seem particularly hard to swallow this time?

It also unnerved her that Adrien seemed to be the only one who realized she wasn't as happy as she let on. She could feel him watching her for the remainder of the evening until she begged exhaustion and went home, Luka in tow. 

She didn't say a word on the way home, not that Luka seemed to mind. He was content to just sit with his arm around her, humming absently. It wasn't until they got back to her apartment and he let them in that he even realized anything was wrong, when she didn't immediately follow him to the bedroom, but stood just inside the doorway, staring at the floor.

"Mari?" he asked, approaching carefully. "Mon ange, what's the matter?"

"You're leaving again?" she asked quietly.

When he didn't answer right away, she looked up to see him frowning, mouth hanging open like he was thinking of what to say.

"I- Mari, you knew this was coming. That's the nature of my job."

"You never mentioned it before tonight."

"I only just found out today. I wanted to share with everyone..."

They stared at each other for a long moment before she finally asked a question that had been bothering her since he had come home this time. 

"Why don't you ever take me?"

"Take you with me? Well, I just- I figured you were busy with your designs. Would you even have the time?"

"Not now, but when you first started..."

"I- I don't-"

"You keep telling me about all these places you've seen, saying you want to take me one day, but you've never once asked me to go with you. Not once in seven years."

He gaped at her, seemingly at a loss for words.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut, a heart heavy sigh escaping her. 

"What are we doing Luka?" she asked.

"I don't- what do you mean?"

She lowered her hand, looking him in the eye, feeling suddenly weary. "I mean  _what are we doing?_ We've been doing this on/off routine for nearly three years now. Five years ago, we were getting married, and look at us now." She held her hands out in a helpless gesture.

He continued to gape at her. "What are you saying?" he asked softly.

Sighing again, she carefully reached into her purse and pulled out the little black box with her engagement ring that she had for some reason taken to carrying around for the last several days. She studied it for a moment, resisting the urge to open it, and look at the sparkling little solitaire inside.

"I'm saying... I don't think I can do this anymore." She ran her fingers over the velvety lid again before holding it out in front of her, tears threatening to spill over. "I-I'm sorry." Those words came out as a choked whisper, and she couldn't bear to meet his eyes, knowing that if she did, she'd lose what little composure she had left.

He hesitated for a long moment before reaching out and closing his hands over hers.

"Are you sure?"

She swallowed thickly and forced herself to respond. " _Yes._ "

She shifted the box into his grip and gently withdrew her hand.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"...I'm sorry too, mon- Marinette."

She ducked her head, biting her lip when she heard him trip over his nickname for her.

Silence reigned for several long moments before Luke cleared his throat. "I should go."

She saw his hand reach for hers, stopping short of touching her, waiting for her permission. She met him partway and squeezed his hand before suddenly she was in his arms, her face pressed into his chest. She felt his chest shudder as he took a long breath, and the damn broke, tears spilling down her cheeks as she took a few gasping breaths. They stayed like that for a few minutes before she felt him press a kiss into her hair and release her,

Then he was gone.

* * *

 

Adrien smothered the urge to yawn as he listened to another boring story about so-and-so's 'brilliant child' who was just destined to be some great something-or-other. _Why had he agreed to come to this event again? Oh yeah._ He was contractually obligated. 

He'd spent the last few hours schmoozing with the board members of _Moirai_ , whom he'd become the newest spokesmodel for. All night he'd expertly fielded overlyprying questions about his father, and listened to boring stories about the members family members and glory days. This was the part of the job he hated the most. Faking a smile and genuine interest with some of the most disingenuous people he'd ever met. 

He was about ready to tie the noose when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and discretely checked it. Normally, he wouldn't dare touch his phone in a setting like this but he was so close to blowing his brains out, he took the chance, and when he saw Marinette's name light up the screen, he took advantage of the distraction.

"I'm so sorry. I really need to take this, I've been expecting this call all evening. A friend of mine was in surgery, and I've been waiting for news," he lied smoothly.

"Oh! Oh, of course. Yes, by all means!" the couple he'd been speaking with waved him off with understanding expressions while he smiled apologetically and stole into the hallway to answer his phone.

"Mari?"

"Ah, thank goodness." Adrien frowned when instead of Marinette's light soprano, he was met with an unfamiliar male voice.

"Who is this?"

"This is Louis at _Siroter_. I'm calling cuz your friend Marinette here is drunk and someone needs to take her home. I was able to get her to unlock her phone but she wouldn't tell me who to call so I just picked the first name, and you answered."

 _The hell?_   "Shit. Ok, hang on." pulled his phone away from his ear to quickly google the bar, only to discover it was right around the corner from where he currently was.  _Perfect._ "I'm actually nearby. I can come get her, just give me a couple minutes."

"Cool." The man hungup without further ado, and Adrien wasted no time rushing out the door. 

He waved off his driver when he began to approach and went on foot, reaching the bar in just a few short minutes. It was a smallish joint and it didn't take long to find Marinette, slumped at the bar with an empty glass in front of her.

"You here for her?" the man he assumed to be Louis asked when he approached. 

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. Does she have a tab open or anything?"

"Nah, she paid in cash. Just get her out of here, she needs to go home." Adrien grimaced apologetically before turning to MArinette and taking her in fully. She looked awful. Her hair was in disarray, her makeup smeared around her eyes which were red and puffy like she'd been crying. He'd only just seen her a few nights ago, and while he could tell she was upset about Luka's announcement, he didn't quite comprehend how she ended up in her current state.

"Hey princess," he said softly, sliding a hand over her shoulders. She turned her head to him, and she looked even more miserable head-on than she did from the side. "Come on, let's go home ok?"

She mumbled something unintelligible, but allowed him to help her out of her chair, and into her coat. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he lead her out of the bar and to the curb where his driver was already waiting. How he knew where they'd be, he wasn't sure. The man probably deserved a raise. In the backseat, she leaned heavily on him, her head resting on his shoulder as she slept. 

He woke her again when they got to her apartment and he woke her up to get her inside, half carrying her up the stairs. It took a minute to fish the keys out of her purse and find the right one for the door before he helped her inside. He managed to get her to her bedroom where she flopped down on the bed and he looked around helplessly, wondering if he should perhaps call Alya to help her.

He felt a small hand slide into his and tug him down towards the mattress and suddenly Marinette's hands were tangling in his hair, pulling his face towards his. "Woah!" he blurted, grabbing her wrists and arresting her movements. "What are you doing?"

"What?" she pouted. "I thought you wanted this?"

"I-"  _what??_ What the hell was going on. Before he could ask, she abruptly burst into tears, burying her face in his neck and clinging to the front of his shirt, forcing him to stay in his awkward, forward bent position. 

"Uh-" he was utterly confused by the sudden shift in mood, clearly unable to keep up with her drunken train of thought. He'd never really seen her cry before. Sure he'd seen her upset, and he'd even seen her shed tears, but not like this. He had no idea how to respond, especially because he had no idea what she was crying  _about._  He settled for awkwardly shushing her and rubbing her back. 

" _Why?"_ he heard her ask, her words muffle against his shirt. "Why does he do this to me?"

 _Ah._ So, it was about Luka. He wasn't entirely sure he was up to handling this. He definitely wasn't the right person for the job, bias as he was. She needed Alya, but she was clinging to him like a lifeline and he couldn't bring himself to leave her like this. 

"Do what?"

"Leave! He always leaves." Her words were now punctuated by hiccups, making her even harder to understand. "Hezs-just comenome and no don't leave again." Her words didn't make sense, but he got the gist of it.

"He's done this before though hasn't he?" he asked.

"Yesj. B-no more. S-gone now. Done-s-gone for gooddd."

"Gone for good?"

"Yesss," she nodded.  "Gave-ring back. He's gone."

Adrien froze when he realized what she was saying. _They broke up_. "You-you gave back... the engagement ring?" he asked carefully, needing confirmation.

She nodded against his neck and started to cry again. _Oh Jesus._

Tikki appeared in front of him looking very worried and sad. He looked at her helplessly, silently asking what to do. She just shook her head and patted his cheek. "She just needs to get it out," she said quietly. "She'll be ok eventually."

"Has this happened before?" he asked, needing to clarify if this was normal behavior when Luka left, or if this really meant the end of their relationship. He had his answer when the little red bug shook her head sadly.

Surprisingly, it was Plagg who appeared a moment later and pulled Tikki away, urging her to give them privacy. "Come one Sugarcube. I'm pretty sure your chosen doesn't need any more of an audience."

He followed Tikki's advice and allowed her to cry until she calmed, his heart aching for the fact that there was nothing more he could do for her. This was a problem he couldn't fix. He recalled Nino saying that she had been in love with Luka for the better part of eight years. He thought about the fact that a few short years ago, she had expected to be Mme Couffaine, and now here she was, crying her eyes out because he was leaving her again. For good this time.

If there was anything Adrien had learned about love over the years, in his limited experience, it was that being in love didn't guarantee a happy ending. It hadn't for his parents, it hadn't for him and Ladybug and it hadn't for Marinette and Luka. 

Once the tears had slowed from sobbing to a slight trickle, he helped her back out of her coat and shoes, before tucking her in to bed. He'd turned to leave when she reached out and snagged his wrist, pulling him down to sit beside her. " _Stay_ ," she pleaded. "Don't leave me."

His mind warred over her request. He knew that, were she sober, she never would have asked such a thing. Were she sober, she never would've been a position to be so vulnerable with him in the first place. At the same time, he wasn't sure it was a good idea to leave her alone in any case. He didn't know how much she had drank before he found her and there was only so much Tikki could do to help her if something happened.

He kicked off his shoes and removed his jacket before carefully laying down beside her while she clung to his hand. He hated seeing her like this. She had always been so strong, even as a teenager. Brave Marinette. Strong Marinette. He would never dare try to compare his experiences with what she was feeling right now, he knew he could never truly understand what she was going through, and his heart broke for her.  He reached up to brush a lock of hair out of her face as she snuggled into the sheets beside him, whispering half intelligently.

The one thing he did make out was the word " _Chaton."_ It was enough to melt him and any doubt he'd had about whether this was a good idea or not vanished, replaced only by the overwhelming need to comfort her. Whatever she needed. She probably wouldn't remember this in the morning, and indeed he planned to leave before she woke to save her the embarrassment, but for tonight, she needed him, and he wouldn't dare abandon his lady again.

* * *

Marinette suppressed another groan, rubbing her temples as she laid her head in Alya's lap, her best friend's fingers running soothingly through her hair. She was nursing a hangover from hell, at a total loss for how she had gotten home the night before. Tikki surprisingly, wouldn't tell her what had happened, only that she had gotten home safely and had been put to bed. The only clue she had was the vague scent of pine on her sheets. 

"So I gave him the ring back and-" Alya's hands froze. 

"You gave him back the ring?"

"Yeah... seemed like the right thing to do."

"So... that's it? You guys are done?"

"What was I supposed to do Alya? We've been going back and forth for years now. We were supposed to be getting  _married_ , and yet he was just going to run off again without me. We were no closer to walking down the aisle now than we were when we broke off the engagement the first time. I mean, how long was I supposed to keep waiting around for him to decide he was ready? Another seven years, when I'm too old to have children?"

"Thirty five is  _not_ too old to have kids."

"To have them safely then. You know I want a family. I was an only child growing up. As much as I love my parents, that's not what I want."

"I know baby girl." her fingers started moving through her hair again, calming her somewhat.

"I just- I couldn't do it anymore. I want better than that. I  _deserve_ better than that. Don't I?" she asked, insecurity clear in her voice.

"Of course you do," Alya agreed fiercely. 

She lay quietly for a minute, letting Alya's fingers work their magic across her scalp, letting her thoughts wander, before voicing a thought that had been niggling at her mind for a few days. "This is probably going to sound crazy, but I think this whole thing had made me realize why I can't seem to forgive Adrien."

" _What?!_ " Alya asked. "What on earth does one have to do with the other?" 

"I think, I can't forgive him because it reminds me too much of my relationship with Luka."

"Wha-"

"Hear me out. Luka's had a habit of worming his way back into my heart whenever he shows up again, but inevitably he leaves again, leaving me brokenhearted and lonely. Adrien already did it to me once, and I guess I've just been waiting for the other shoe to drop. I mean honestly, who actually expects him to stick around after this contract he's working on is finished? "

Alya said nothing, but Marinette could tell by how her ministrations had slowed that she was thinking hard about what she was saying. It was time for full disclosure. She was tired of denying.

"I think we both know that no matter what I say to the contrary, I still have a soft spot for him. Always have, probably always will. I guess all this time, I've just been keeping him at arms length because I'm scared of what happens when he inevitably leaves again."

Again, Alya was quiet for several moments before responding. "I suppose that makes sense. I hope you know, though, that not everyone is going to leave you. Don't you dare use that as an excuse to not let yourself get close to people."

"I know."

Alya sighed. "I probably shouldn't mention this but.... Well, I'm not so sure that Adrien _will_ leave again."

It was Marinette's turn to freeze. She sat rigid for a second before sitting up and looking Alya square in the face. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asked. Was she crazy?  Sure, he'd managed to win her and Nino and the rest of the team over, but she hadn't seen anything in his behavior so far that suggested he would stay. He was just his usual charming self. If that had been enough to trick her brilliant, inquisitive friend, then they needed to have a serious talk.

Alya held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Listen, like I said, I probably shouldn't even say anything about this but... Nino mentioned that Adrien had started seeing a therapist shortly after he came back."

 _What?_ Adrien was seeing a therapist?

"Apparently it's taken some time, but he's started opening up to him. Nino says it's been really good for him. He'd been a lot happier than he's seen him in years and while he says he still has a long way to go, he's making progress. Finally opening up about all the things he's been holding back since his dad went to prison. He seems to think Adrien will be sticking around for the foreseeable future, if for no other reason than to keep seeing his therapist. Personally, I have a feeling that if he sticks around after his contract is up... he probably won't be leaving again."

"What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Because... it's simple really. The one thing Adrien has always craved, was the one thing he was always lacking growing up. Affection. I don't think he got much of it in the years he was gone, and now that he's getting it in spades from all of us, I don't think he's going to want to give that up again." She studied Marinette's face, continuing. "Of course, if he were to have yours as well..."

"Alya," she warned.

She held her hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying... Something to think about." She lowered her hands, leveling her with a serious look. "Not everyone leaves Marinette. Not always."

* * *

Adrien sighed, staring up at the now familiar ceiling. "So..." he began. "There's this girl..."

"A new girl? Or someone from your past?" Dr Laurent asked, somewhat eagerly. Clearly this was the breakthrough he had been waiting for. Part of it at least. 

"Someone from my past. A big part of my past actually." Again, he debated the virtues of telling his therapist about his secret identity. With Hawkmoth gone, the threat to their general safety had been more or less resolved, but telling him about his identity would open up a whole different can of worms in that he couldn't also reveal the identities of his friends and teammates, so again, he chose to keep it to himself. Perhaps eventually, when he decided to finally talk about his father he would tell him. If for no other reason than to give him greater perspective as to just how much the reveal had affected him. For now though....

"Her name is... Marinette." He said her name in an almost whisper. A sort of reverence in his tone that he'd only ever used when talking about Ladybug in the past. Now that they were one and the same in his mind, it was natural. 

"You're close with her? This Marinette?"

Adrien smirked. "She was my best friend. My other half." _Literally._ "Until I left that is." His expression sobered as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "I think of everyone, my leaving hurt her the most."

"Why is that?"

"Because... I broke her heart."

"She- had feelings for you?"

"I think so. I mean, at the risk of sounding arrogant, yeah, I'm pretty sure she did. Much like I had feelings for her. She was certainly the angriest when I returned. Eleven years later, and one of the first things she did when she saw me again was break my nose."

She heard Dr Laurent gasp a little at that statement and he couldn't help but chuckle, remembering the fire in his ladies eyes when she drew back her fist, covered in his blood. Even when she was punching him in the face she was magnificent. "She was pretty angry with me, to say the least."

"Because you left?"

"Because I never came back." He corrected, chewing his lip thoughtfully, reviewing that conversation they'd had in his bedroom all those weeks ago. "I think she understood why I wanted to leave, and while it's probably easier for her to say now what she would've done then, she says what she was truly upset about was that I stayed away. And I believe her. She tried to reach out to me so many times over the years. I could never bring myself to respond, yet, at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to change my number either."

"I think part of me was afraid to lose that connection to her. It's why I never objected when Nino mentioned her, why I was still so drawn to hear when I returned. Even after so many years." He thought back to the night of the gala and the first glimpse he'd gotten of her. She had literally taken his breath away. "I hadn't seen her since we were seventeen, and yet, the minute I laid eyes on her, I was a blushing school boy again, tripping over my words and making a general fool of myself."

"You love her," Dr Laurent said. It was a statement, not a question. 

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "I do. I love her and I want to be with her, but I have no Idea what to do about it."

His fingers idly twisted around the pocket square in his hand. He had taken to pulling it out and playing with it during his sessions, something his therapist had never questioned until now. "Is that hers?"

He held it up in front of his face, examining the feminine lettering in the corner, spelling out her name. "Not quite. She made it for me. As part of a suit I commissioned. She's a designer. A brilliant one. One of the best I've ever seen, and she's only just getting started."

"You think very highly of her."

He snorted. "Yeah. Most people who meet her do. It's hard not to. She deserves it. Marinette is perhaps one of the most genuine, empathetic, optimistic people I've ever met. She always goes above and beyond, and when she's passionate about something... it's really a sight to behold. She's.... miraculous."

"And... you're afraid you don't measure up?" he guessed.

"Partly."

"Only partly? What else then?"

"She moved on," he said. "While I was gone. She was engaged at one point. Almost married another man." He shuddered again, thinking just how close he had been to losing her for good. He wasn't sure how his heart would have handled it if he had come home to find that she was no longer a Mlle. "They only just broke up about a week ago."

"I see."

"She's pretty torn up about it, as is to be expected. She's so torn up about it in fact that a few nights ago a bartender had to call me to bring her home. She cried about him on my shoulder until she fell asleep, but not before all but begging me to stay..."

"Did you? Stay?"

"Of course. I left early the next morning, before she woke up, but I stayed with her the majority of the night. Held her hair out of her face when she got sick, hugged her while she cried..."

"That had to be difficult."

"It was agony."

A beat of silence followed.

"...I mean, I'm not naive enough to believe that just because they're not together means she'll choose to be with me instead. Nor that she'll suddenly be ready to move on from a seven year relationship. It'll be a long time before she'd ready to even date again, I'm sure. I just- at least there's still... a possibility... right?"

"Perhaps," Dr Laurent agreed thoughtfully. "It may be wise to give her some space for a little while, but once she's over the worst of her heartache, she may be more amenable to rebuilding your friendship. It's not love certainly, but it's a start. Just be mindful of her boundaries, it's important for you to reestablish trust."

"Yeah...  _friends._ I can do that."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I know! More angst. I'm sorry guys. I promise fluff is coming eventually, but gotta get through the rough stuff first!


	10. What Do I Care How Much It May Storm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it too!

Over the next few weeks, Marinette threw herself into her work to keep herself distracted. Her holiday collection hit the shelves and even included a couple of party dresses as an expansion to her usual accessories. She took on several new clients that required Emil’s help to complete before the parties and events the designs were commissioned for. 

Of course she had an entire collection of dresses for Chloe for her various soirées and even a few more suits for Adrien, including the much anticipated tuxedo for a black tie event. 

In order to keep herself from thinking about _the_ _incident_  as she’d dubbed it, she literally worked herself to exhaustion. After collapsing at work for the second time, that he knew of, Emil said enough and called Alya for help. 

By the time Alya arrived, Emil had managed to get her to the couch, wrapped in a blanket. They let her sleep, taking turns watching over her until she woke, at which point they insisted she eat a proper meal before taking her to the spa for a much needed break. 

She complained the entire way there, insisting she needed to work, but they wouldn’t hear of it. A couple hours later, after a group mani-pedi, Marinette had to admit she felt a lot better but was still anxious to get back to work. Between the two of them, they managed to convince her to take the day off and spent the rest of the afternoon, cuddled together on her couch, drinking hot cocoa and watching Christmas movies. 

Before leaving, Alya asked Marinette to take Nino's patrol shift for the evening so she could have some time with her husband, suggesting a good night run would make her feel better. Marinette agreed, feeling guilty for begging off patrol duty for the last few weeks due to work, and at sundown, transformed and leapt from her balcony window. 

The chilly night air burned her lungs and her legs ached from disuse, but the old familiar feeling of swinging through the city calmed her mind and brought her back to herself, if only for a moment. 

Stopping atop a random building to take a breath and scan the skyline, she felt rather than saw the man who joined her. He landed on soft feet and approached slowly from behind, wary of disturbing her. Without turning her head she addressed him. 

“What are you doing here kitty?” She added a slight inflection to the nickname but it lacked the bite it had carried for the last few months. 

It was getting harder and harder for her to stay angry with him as he gradually worked his way past her defenses, despite her best efforts. Still, her conversation with Alya about him still lingered in her mind, and she refused to give over completely just yet. 

“ _Bonsoir_ my lady. I didn’t realize you would be out,” he said cautiously. “Carapace asked me to cover for him tonight.”

Ladybug sighed and rolled her eyes. Alya and her meddling. “Strange, Rena asked me to cover for him as well. Apparently our teammates have a communication problem.”

Chat Noir snorted, knowing as well as she did that they had been set up. It had been over two weeks since he’d brought her home from the bar and the fact that they hadn’t discussed it, convinced him she either didn’t remember or was too embarrassed to talk about it. 

Still, he was worried about her. He hadn’t seen her at all since that night aside from the one day he had come over for fittings. She barely spoke to him other than to ask how something felt and wether he liked a particular design element or other. 

She hadn’t looked good. Like she hadn’t slept in days, her hair piled in a messy bun over her head and dark circles under her eyes. It was the first time he’d seen her without makeup in he couldn’t remember how long. While she certainly didn’t need it in his opinion, it still showed just how out of it she was when he was used to seeing her completely put together. Drunken escapades and early morning wake up calls aside

She didn’t try to put distance between them when he finally reached her side and he took the opportunity to lean against the vent nearby to study her. 

She looked better tonight. Not so tired, but still not quite herself. “How are you?” He asked gently. 

She blew out a breath, turning away from him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

He nodded, searching for a change of topic. “Chloe said you’d be attending the Christmas gala the philanthropic society is hosting,” he paused a moment unsure if what he was about to ask was wise.

She nodded silently, still looking away from him. 

“Perhaps, we could go together?” She turned sharply to him. 

“As friends,” he hurried to continue, holding up his hands. “Since neither of us has a date. If you want to that is. I mean, I don’t wanna like pressure you or anything, but these things are usually more enjoyable when you’re not by yourself and I’m kinda tired of always going alone and-“

”Chat,” she said, cutting off his rambling. He looked up to see her watching him with a small smile. “You don’t have to explain. I’ve been to enough of these events now to get it.”

He smiled back, rubbing the back of his neck and wondering if that meant she was agreeing. 

“I wouldn’t mind not going alone to this one, but wouldn’t that ruin your playboy reputation to be seen with a date?” She teased. 

 _Oh my god! She actually said yes!_ He controlled his excitement, smirking in response and preening slightly. “Or perhaps it’ll just boost _your_ reputation my lady. It’s not often I’m seen out with a date.”

She rolled her eyes as he reached behind himself and pulled out the rose he’d tucked into his belt when he’d spotted her earlier. With a flourish, he fell to his knee and presented it to her. 

“A token for you purr-incess.” He grinned roguishly as she giggled and pushed him away by the nose like she used to when they were younger, but accepted the rose nonetheless. 

“Silly kitty.”

His heart skipped a beat at the returned note of affection in the nickname. It seemed she was finally letting go of some of her animosity. They were moving forward. He knew the still had a long way to go to get back to their former closeness. Indeed that they may never quite achieve it again, but it felt nice to be on good terms with his lady again. 

Before anymore could be said, he felt his ears twitch and dove forward, knocking her to the ground on instinct as a loud bang reverberated through the space around them, something hard and metallic hitting the vent he had just been leaning against. 

He heard her breath leave her in a whoosh when he landed on top of her and she immediately tried to throw him off. He shifted his weight off of her so she could breathe but remained hovering over her protectively as he tuned his senses, scanning the area around them. 

“What the hell was that?” She wheezed. 

“A gunshot,” he said, urging her to stay low as he crept toward the ledge for a better look at the ground and lower buildings. 

“Stray bullet or do you think someone was actually shooting at us?” She flipped onto her belly and army crawled to his side. 

“Im not sure yet. I cant see a shooter-“ he cut off when his eyes detected the red light of a laser and he grabbed her head, shielding her and he ducked behind the ledge just as another shot was fired. It struck the roof right beside their heads in a tiny explosion of concrete.

“OK, yeah. Definitely shooting at us.”

"Why?!" she cried.

"I don't know but we need to find cover. They weren't shooting from the ground, and judging from their tools, they're not much of an amateur with their weapon." They carefully backed away from the ledge, huddling together behind the vent Chat had been leaning against earlier as they determined what to do next. 

"We could easily outrun him but we can't just leave him out there with a gun. What if he hurt someone else?"

"Well is it even safe to go after him?" Chat asked. "I mean, I know these suits are magic, but can they stop a bullet?"

"I don't know, and in any case, he seems to be aiming for our heads which means he's not just looking to hurt us."

"Yeah, but why though? What could we possibly have done to deserve that? I hope it's not some nut trying to take our miraculous. The last thing this city needs is another super villain running around." he asked.

Ladybug's eyes darted around, the wheels turning in her head when the first drops fell.  _Great. Freezing rain. Even better._ After the first few splatters, the sky opened up drenching them in ice cold water. They couldn't stay out here long, or they'd risk getting sick. Not to mention their poor kwamis. "What do we do?" Chat asked. 

"Can you still see him?"

He carefully stood and peeked around their hiding place, towards the building he'd seen the man just minutes before but he was no longer there. "No, I-  _Dieu!"_ he dropped back down to the ground as another shot missed. "He moved to higher ground already. How the hell did he get there so fast?"

"We need to corner him. Quickly. I'll distract him, you run around and catch him from behind."

"What?! No. Why don't I distract him? I'm always the distraction."

"Because my suit stands out. With the dark and the rain, you'll be able to sneak up on him easier. Now go!" She jumped out from behind the vent, shoving him in the opposite direction. 

As usual, luck was on her side, and she was able to dodge the next shot that came for her. Unfortunately Chat wasn't so lucky. The distraction hadn't worked on their attacker, who'd immediately set their sights on Chat after firing off another shot at Ladybug.  His back was turned however, and she knew he'd never see it coming. She'd never reach him in time so the best should could do was shout. 

"Chat! Look out!"

He spun around, his feet slipping on the now slick roof as the next shot collided with his shoulder. Ladybug heard herself scream as she watched him fall, lunging forward and desperately slinging out her yo-yo. It sailed over the roof with him, and for a heart stopping moment, she thought she had missed until the string pulled tight, nearly toppling her off the roof as well. 

By pure luck, she dodged another bullet as she scrambled to the ledge where Chat had fallen and peered over to see him hanging by the line tied around his wrist, blinking up at her with wide green eyes. Little cloud puffs appeared around his face as he panted, his free arm hanging limply at his side. He winced when she started to pull him up and as he got closer she learned that their suits  _could not_ stop a speeding bullet. 

She pulled him up over the edge as he groaned, dragging him to cover. Her hands fluttered anxiously over his shoulder. "Oh my God!" her words voice was breathy and panicked, her heart still stuck in her throat as she took in the blood seeping from the hole in his chest. 

"It's alright my lady," he panted. "Tis but a flesh wound." He smiled weakly as he shifted his position. 

"You stupid alley cat! You could've been killed!" Anger covered her fear as she frowned down at him before ducking down and throwing him over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" he groaned.

"Getting you out of here."

"But the shooter-"

"Can wait for now. You need help." She didn't allow him to argue as she threw out her yo-yo and swung across the city.

She would've preferred to go to her apartment, but the Agreste Mansion happened to be closer. Without thinking, she dropped into the window of his old bedroom, and shifted him off of her shoulder till his feet were on the floor. She half expected the room to be empty or covered in dust, but was surprised to find it had instead been redecorated. The piano still sat near the window, and his DVD and video game collection covered the walls of the upper level, but the furnishings had been updated, and the rock wall had been replaced with large stones, and there was even a light, trickling waterfall flowing through it. 

Her eyes scanned over the space, wondering when all these changes had occurred. Last she remembered, he'd been staying in one of the suites in the guest wing. 

"I had it redone a few weeks ago," he supplied, answering her unspoken question. "I only just was able to move in here a couple nights ago. I'm having most of the mansion redone actually. I figured it was time to start moving forward." He shrugged, and then grimaced when he jostled his arm, bringing her back to the matter at hand. 

"Right, well first things first, lets get you dry and warm, and then we can take care of your shoulder." The miraculous provided them a faster than normal healing ability, but with a wound like that it would still take several hours or more to heal completely.

Adrien dropped his transformation as she led him to sit on the sofa. Reaching for a remote, she realized there was a fireplace embedded in the wall, next to the waterfall. It roared to life as Marinette dropped her own transformation and started helping Adrien out of his torn shirt. Rushing to the bathroom, she grabbed towels for each of them's hair, some wash cloths, hot water and the first aid kit. 

When she returned, she found Adrien cradling his injured arm to his chest as Plagg and Tikki hovered anxiously near by.

"Are you alright kid?" the cat kwami asked. 

"I'll be fine Plagg, don't worry. What about you? weren't you hurt at all?"

"I'm a God! I have magic healing!"

"True," Marinette said, throwing a towel over Adrien's head and rubbing his hair dry. "But you can still get sick. Both of you go get warm by the fire, I'll take care of Adrien." They followed her orders without question, though they still watched carefully from across the room. 

Marinette set out the first aid kit in front of her and wet one of the washcloths. She gently wiped the blood from around either side of his wound to get a better look at it, before pulling out the bottle of alcohol and some gauze. "This is going to sting," she said apologetically, before carefully swabbing the wound to disinfect.

Adrien hissed and gritted his teeth but sat still and didn't complain. He watched her carefully as she cleaned her tools, preparing tweezers and a needle and thread. Her attention was laser focused on her task, but he could see the worry in her eyes. 

"I know this is going to hurt, and I'm sorry, but please, try to hold as still as you can, and I'll try to go fast."

He took a fortifying breath and nodded. 

She prodded the area gently with her fingers, feeling for the bullet, before reaching in with the tweezers and extracting it. Adrien clenched his jaw and groaned with the pain, but didn't dare move as she quickly removed the bullet and set it aside on one of the washcloths. She then picked up her needle and thread, and began stitching him up with quick, efficient precision. He found himself grateful for the fact she was a seamstress, knowing she could make these stitches in her sleep, and much faster than an ordinary person. 

A minute later, she snipped the thread and sat back on her heels, looking over her work. Her task finished, emotion crept back in again and soon her hands were shaking as tears filled her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. 

"No, no, no. Hey-" Adrien slipped off the couch to sit beside her, sliding his good arm around her shoulders and pulling her into him. "It's ok, it's not your fault."

Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I know," she cried. "I meant- I'm so sorry, about everything. How I've been treating you. I-" she hiccuped, her tears making it difficult to speak. 

"It's alright princess. I don't blame you. I know I hurt you. I know you were angry."

"But it's not! Y-you were in pain too. I-I should've-"

"Hey, no." He squeezed her tight, pulling her more firmly against him. "No more about the past. What's done is done."

She cried even harder, her fingers digging into his skin as she held on to him. He could feel his own eyes prickling with tears, and turned his face into her still damp hair. Her familiar sweet scent still lingering, he breathed it in, soaking up as much of her presence as he could. It had been so long since he'd held her like this. He didn't count the other night in her bedroom, she hadn't known what she'd been doing then. This though, this was real. 

"Let's just agree to stop hurting each other, and move forward," he begged as she nodded against his shoulder. 

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I almost lost you tonight. And I just- I couldn't keep doing this. I couldn't keep being mad at you."

"I know, I know." He wasn't entirely sure what he was saying, or if she was even really listening to him anyways, he just knew she needed to be comforted. 

"I was so afraid you were going to leave me again."

"No. Never. I'm never leaving you again my lady. I promise."

She shuddered, burying her face deeper in the crook of his neck. "I missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you too."

They stayed like that until she stopped crying, but unwilling to let her go, Adrien simply pulled down a pillow and blanket from the couch and made a little bed for them there on the floor. She stayed there, tucked snuggly into his side until they both fell asleep.

* * *

 

Things didn't magically go back to normal after that, as they both learned to navigate their newly reconciled friendship. They were never alone again after that night, but it didn't take long for their friends to notice the change, a fact they were all grateful for. They were finally a team again. 

As the holidays approached, everyone found themselves busier than usual. Adrien's contract was finally winding down and he began considering what his next move would be. He had never stopped thinking about his conversation with Dr Laurent about his future. The more he thought it over, the more he began to think that whatever he decided to do next, his future was here, in Paris. He had already started to lay down roots, rebuilding his old friendships, and remodeling his father's house. Bit by bit, he had begun sweeping away the bad memories, and replacing them with new ones. No longer would he let the ghost of his father rule his life. 

"My father wasn't a good man." He said, staring at the now familiar ceiling. His fingers traced over the totem in his pocket, though he had since replaced the purple pocket square with an old beaded bracelet. "Neither was he all bad."

"People are rarely just one or the other. There is light and dark in all of us." Dr Laurent commented.

"I know. I also know that people tend to vilify him absolutely. As though there were nothing redeemable in him."

Dr Laurents waited patiently for him to continue as he arranged his thoughts. 

"He wasn't a very good father. I know now that he hadn't really wanted to be one. My mother had wanted children and he wanted to make her happy." His throat tightened as he thought of his mother. "That was who he really loved. My mother. He loved her so fiercely he didn't know how to function when she was gone."

He frowned, correcting himself. "Not gone. When she fell ill. I'm still not entirely sure how it happened. From what I understand it had something to do with another miraculous. One my mother had used. It must've been damaged or corrupted or something, because using it is apparently what made her sick to begin with."

"Anyways, my father had never really been an affectionate man. Not with me at least. As a child, that was hard to understand, especially when compared with my mother. She was all smiles and hugs and warmth. My father was cold detachment, and vague pride." Adrien thought back over the interactions he'd had with his father, both before and after his mother had disappeared. Even before she was gone, he hadn't been very loving towards him. "When I was younger, I was so determined to earn that same kind of affection from him. I didn't understand yet that he wasn't capable of it. Back then though, especially after mom disappeared, I was so desperate for it, I did everything he asked of me. He groomed me into the perfect, obedient child without even trying."

Adrien took a deep breath before continuing, knowing that what he said next would be shocking. "Until one day, I came home and found a ring, tucked inside a little wooden box." He lifted his hand in front of his face, inspecting the ring that had rested there for nearly fifteen years. "That day changed my life."

"How so?" the doctor asked, staring curiously at the hand Adrien held raised.

With a smirk, Adrien called for his transformation, not bothering to watch the doctor's reaction. It was pretty obvious how shocked he was when Adrien heard his pen hit the floor. Just as quickly, he destransformed, his kwami popping back out of the ring with a disapproving frown. "Was that really necessary?"

Adrien shrugged, pulling a piece of Camembert out of his coat pocket and tossing it to Plagg. "It's easier to show than tell. I doubt most people would believe me if I just tried to explain it anyway."

"Whatever," Plagg grumbled, settling down on one of the couch cushions to eat his cheese, not bothering to stay hidden anymore, now that the secret was out. 

"Y-you're-"

"Yeah," Adrien said, interrupting the doctors stammering. "I'm Chat Noir. Like I said, that day changed my life. Up until then, I had been subject to my father's whims. Never really allowed much freedom. The miraculous, being a superhero, it provided an outlet for me. I'm not really sure how much longer I would've been able to handle things the way they were if it weren't for Plagg and this ring. And Ladybug, of course." His expression turned wistful as he recalled the first time they had met, when she quite literally knocked him out of the air.

Thinking back on it now, with how uncoordinated and unsure she had been at first, he could't believe he hadn't realized who she was sooner. Then again, even after she gained her confidence, he still should've been able to see the bits of Marinette shining through. She may have been a stuttering mess around him, but with everyone else, she was every bit the same strong willed, passionate girl he knew in the mask. 

"Did you know?" Dr Laurent asked, pulling his thoughts back to the present. 

"Did I know my father was the super villain terrorizing the city every other day?" he scoffed. "No. I had no idea. I found out the same moment the rest of the world did. "He laughed darkly. "Sure, it made much more sense then. Once I started really thinking about it. But no, I had no idea. Back then, I still tried to see the best in people. Especially my father."

"It was hard to accept at first. My father may not have known I was Chat Noir, but he still knew I could've been hurt in any of those akuma attacks. Particularly since so many of them were my classmates at school. It never seemed to bother him though. Wether that was because he assumed he could fix it all in the end, or he truly just didn't care, I'll probably never know."

"You never asked him about it?"

Adrien snorted. "I haven't spoken to my father since before that last battle."

Dr Laurent was quiet for a moment. "Not at all?"

"Nope. And it's not like he ever tried reaching out to me either. To this day he probably still doesn't know it was me he was fighting all along. Then again, my father was never a fool. He probably put it together well enough when he heard that both I and Chat Noir had left Paris. How no one else figured it out is beyond me. I know the miraculous has some sort of magical power that hides our identities, but I have no idea ho strong it is."

"Do you want to speak to him?"

Adrien thought about it for a moment, before responding. "Not particularly. I'm not even sure how to find him or what I would even say to him. He was eventually released from prison a little over a year ago. 'Good behavior and overcrowding'. After that, I'm told he promptly went off the grid. Haven't heard a peep from him."  _Greatest father of all time._ He though darkly. 

Not long after their session ended and Adrien left a mostly recovered Dr Laurent behind after scheduling his next appointment. He had dropped a lot of information on the poor man, and though he had only just scratched the surface on the truly fucked up relationship he had with his father, for now, it was a start. 

* * *

 

Later that night, Alya dragged the whole gang out for Christmas karaoke night. Nino had a playlist on his phone of various holiday songs he had mixed and the bar they went to allowed him and his friends to use it instead of the bar's music. Chloe had done a truly spectacular rendition of Santa Baby, giving her poor blushing husband a mini lap dance while she sang, much to the crowd's amusement. 

Nino, who wasn't much of a singer opted to watch while his wife's sultry voice serenaded the crowd with songs like Blue Christmas, and I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. Marinette, who Adrien was told usually loved karaoke, had simply sat at the table, smiling along while her friends sang, until Adrien put both of their names down and dragged her on stage to sing with him. She protested the whole way, but acquiesced nonetheless. 

As the familiar chord's began, Marinette gave him a look before she started singing. "I simply must go..."

"But, baby it's cold outside." Adrien was amused to see Marinette's shocked face when he sang the man's part of the duet. She'd never heard him sing before and he knew it was often jarring for people as his singing voice was much deeper than his speaking voice. 

"The answer is no..."

"But, baby it's cold outside...."

Adrien turned on the charm, throwing in little theatrical elements, like holding her hand to his chest in a pleading fashion and miming the 'storm outside', to the applause of the crowd. Little by little, Marinette warmed up to it, and by the end of the song, they were putting on a broadway worthy performance. The bar erupted when they finished, and Marinette blushed furiously, as she and Adrien gave a silly bow before heading back to the table. 

His friends showed varying levels of amusement as they retook their seats. He wasn't usually so silly in public, typically reserving that side of his personality for when he was donning a mask and super-suit, but it had been worth any ribbing he would get to see Marinette smiling and enjoying herself again. It had been almost a month since her breakup with Luka, and while she was over the worst of it, she still sometimes slipped into little bouts of melancholy. Especially when she saw other couples, usually newly engaged or married couples, together. 

They'd gotten a little closer, recently, now taking their patrol nights together, as a duo once again. They hadn't encountered the gunman since that first night, but Adrien had a feeling it wouldn't be long before he showed up again. They usually keep their conversation to safer topics, like work, or friends, avoiding the subject of Luka altogether, which suited Adrien just fine. He knew she had Alya to talk to about him if she needed to, so he didn't feel so guilty for being happy about avoiding the subject.  

The Holiday gala they had agreed to attend together was being held on Christmas Eve at the Grand Paris, and Adrien swung by Marinette's apartment before hand to pick her up. He knocked on the door, fidgeting with his coat and bowtie while he waited for her to answer. When the door opened, he froze, one hand still raised where he was attempting to loosen his collar.

She was  _stunning._ Her slim figure wrapped in dark red velvet, that hugged her curves in all the right places. A thin, gold rope chain hung around her neck, tying off around her throat and dangling down the center of her chest between the plunging v-neck of the dress. Her hair had been swept up in an elegant updo, showing off her ruby red earrings, and her makeup had been flawlessly applied.

Adrien felt his mouth go dry and it was a moment before he could speak. "Hey," he croaked, mentally kicking himself.  _Hey? Really?_   _That's the best you can do?_

"Hey," she said, with a smile. Her eyes roved over him in the black velvet tuxedo she had designed for him. "You look great."

"I should hope so," he teased, regaining some of his composure. "So do you."

"Thank you," she blushed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You ready to go?" she asked, reaching for her clutch and coat. The coat in fact, was a matching velvet cape that fell to her hips, the tips of her manicured fingers poking out from underneath as she fiddled with her keys. 

"Yeah, sure." He stepped back into the hallway, allowing her to exit and waited while she locked up before escorting her down stairs.

As he handed her into the back of his waiting car, he noticed the thigh high slit in the front of the dress that exposed one of her tanned legs and she slid into her seat. He took a moment to discreetly readjust himself and remember that this wasn't a date, before he joined her. 

"You excited?" he asked as they made their way downtown. 

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "This is the first time I've attended this particular event. As far as I know, there are a few other people present besides you and Chloe that will be wearing my designs. I'm a little nervous."

Adrien took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's going to be fine Marinette. You're one of the finest designers I've ever known, and I'm not just saying that. People are starting to notice, as I always knew they would. Enjoy it."

She grinned, squeezing his hand back before turning her attention out the window, her leg jiggling anxiously. She never let go of his hand though, all the way until they reached the hotel, and stepped out of the car onto the mini red carpet outside. They posed for a few pictures together, answering a few questions about their outfits, before being ushered inside and out of the cold. 

Marinette's grip on his arm tightened a little when they entered the ballroom, and she got a good look around. The room was a dazzling display of crystal and gold decorations, with festive bursts of red and green. Well dressed men and women lined the walls, the women draped in the finest fabrics and dripping in glittering jewelry. This event, along with the gala held at the beginning of fall, was one of the highest earning charity events of the year. All of the cities wealthiest were in attendance, as well as more than a few other celebrities and influential people from around the country. 

Adrien guided her through the crowd with a confidence born of spending so many years surrounded by such opulence, snagging two glasses of champagne from a passing server to help calm her nerves. She accepted it gratefully and sipped on it, as her eyes continued to dart around the room. He knew the minute she spotted one of her designs, as he glass froze halfway to her lips. 

It was a beautiful gown in green and gold taffeta, that perfectly flattered the wearer, who appeared to be receiving a multitude of compliments as she showed off her dress to those around her. Adrien patted her hand and smiled down at her. She beamed back up at him, excitement lighting up her face. She was positively radiant with it, and Adrien felt himself fall a little more in love with her. He was hopeless.

A colleague in the fashion industry stopped Adrien when they spotted him, and he introduced them to Marinette. When they heard the name, they immediately started gushing over her latest runway show, and soon Marinette was surrounded by others who were delighted to meet the young designer. As her confidence grew, Adrien quietly extracted himself from the conversation, not wanting to be in her way while she talked shop with some of the industries greats. 

Meandering over to the hors d'oeuvres table where he was met by Chloe and Nathaniel.

"Looks like the little bug is doing well so far," Chloe said, smiling behind her champagne glass.

"Yeah," Adrien said, smiling softly as he watched her from a distance. "She fits in well here."

"So I see. Did I see a few other of her designs tonight?"

"You did. I'm not sure how many or which ones, but she did say a few of her clients would be attending."

"Well, good for her," Chloe said, looking unusually proud. It was still a bit baffling to Adrien that the two women seemed to get along, if not well then at least amicably, these days. Back when they were teenagers, he wouldn't have thought it possible.

Marinette joined them a few minutes later, looking flushed but pleased.

"How'd it go?" Adrien asked, handing her a plate and another glass of champagne. She accepted, taking a quick sip.

"Really well! I've made some amazing new contacts, and I might even have a collaboration in the works."

"That's amazing!" Adrien squeezed her arm in congratulations as she grinned proudly.

They chatted for a few minutes while she ate until the music started and Adrien asked her to dance, following Chloe and Nathaniel out onto the floor. He felt a rush as he held her close in his arms, spinning her around the room. She moved so elegantly with him, like they were made for one another. Of course, if he believed Master Fu, that was exactly the case. They laughed and smiled, all the while entirely oblivious of the attention they were garnering, not just from the guests but from the few cameras that were wandering about, snapping pictures of the guests. 

After a few dances, they made their way through the crowd again, stopping to chat with a few people along the way. Whenever Marinette encountered a client, she was showered in praise for all the compliments her designs had been receiving. She accepted their congratulations with grace, thanking them for the opportunity to showcase her talent, before moving on. Eventually, they stopped to rest for a moment near a doorway, watching the crowd before a cameraman appeared in front of them suddenly.

"How about a nice smooch for the camera eh?"

"Excuse me?" Marinette asked, eyes widening.

The man just smirked and looked above their heads where they only now realized hung a rather large bundle of mistletoe.  _Damn._

"Uh..." Adrien rubbed his neck sheepishly, unsure of what to do. This wasn't a date, they were here as friends, but he knew from experience the cameraman wouldn't believe them if they told him.

He was saved the trouble of deciding how to act when Marinette lightly tugged on his lapel, pulling him down to her level. With one hand cupping his cheek, she held his face still while she kissed the other cheek. Her lips pressed into his skin, soft and warm, and Adrien knew his face would be bright red in the photograph. 

The photographer groaned in disappointment, but obliging snapped a few shots before moving on. 

"Oh, sorry!" Marinette giggled when she pulled away. Grabbing a handkerchief from her clutch, she wet it with her tongue and gently wiped away the lipstick she'd left behind on his face, as he blushed even harder. 

"Thanks," he muttered, suddenly feeling way too hot and confined in his tailored suit. He was about to excuse himself for some fresh air when a vaguely familiar voice stopped him. 

"Adrien? Is that you darling?"

Adrien and Marinette turned to find a beautiful redhead, dressed in a revealing emerald green silk gown standing behind them. 

"Annabelle!" Marinette greeted with a smile. 

"Oh! Mari-doll! I didn't see you there. You look lovely! By the way, fantastic job on this dress," she said, running a hand over her waist. "It's exquisite. I've gotten so much attention tonight."

Marinette beamed, oblivious to the panic on Adrien's face.  _They knew each other?!_   _Shiiiiit._

"What do you think Adrien?" Annabelle stepped closer, running a finger down his lapel. "Does it suit me?"

Marinette was definitely paying attention now, her eyes jumping back and forth between them. He suddenly remembered the look Chloe had given him when he'd taken her home a few weeks ago, and wondered now if this was why.

"Uh-" he cleared his throat. "Yes. Certainly." 

Annabelle smiled, running her eyes over him like she was imagining him without his suit again. He knew very well that she probably could. "You look fantastic as usual. Mari, did you design this suit as well? I saw the purple one you did. It was very nice, on and off the mannequin." She winked at Marinette as Adrien saw comprehension dawn on her face. 

He felt his heart sink as he saw the judgment in her eyes, her mannerisms turning cooler. 

"Yes, that is one of mine as well. So glad you  _enjoyed_ the last one. I'm sure you'll like this one just as much. If you'll excuse me, I need to find the lady's room." She was gone before he could stop her. He saw Annabelle's smile turn vicious as she watched her leave, and he was sure he'd never wanted to hurt a woman so much in his life.

They had had a random one night stand weeks ago, and literally hadn't spoken to each other since. Yet in just a few seconds, she had managed to destroy the warmth he had built with Marinette over the course of the evening. She turned back to him with a victorious look and opened her mouth to say something, but Adrien was done being polite for the evening. Without a word, he removed her hand from his jacket, and brushed past her, intending to follow Marinette. 


	11. Auld Lang Syne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, I dunno, I feel like this is kind of a weak chapter. Once again, I needed a transition and for some reason I seem to struggle with those... oh well lol
> 
> Enjoy

"Mari?"

Marinette heard Adrien's voice approaching behind her and ducked through the first set of doors she found. She'd been hoping for a bathroom, but instead found an empty conference room. Leaning against the doors, she listened as he approached.

"Marinette?" he called again, his voice moving beyond where she stood. 

She breathed a sigh of relief, until a knock at the door nearly scared her half to death.

"Mari? Are you alright?"

She heard another, now familiar, voice whispering to him and knew it had been Plagg who'd told him where she was, likely sensing Tikki's presence. She would've left them both at her apartment to allow Plagg time with the other kwamis, but he and Tikki had both been excited for the party. She and Adrien had been discreetly feeding them snacks all evening. 

"I'm fine," she called back through the door, hoping he would leave. "Don't worry about me, I'll be back to the party soon."

"Why are you hiding in there? I thought you were going to the restroom?"

"I'm not hiding," she insisted. Tikki floated in front of her face with a disapproving look.

"Mari..." his tone clearly said he didn't believe her either. One of the door handles jiggled and she hurried to hold them shut. 

She could hear his sigh on the other side of the door. "Mari, please. Let me in. Talk to me."

"You slept with her," she accused, still not opening the door.

She heard another sigh. "Yes."

She scoffed. "Of course you did."

"Come on, don't be like that. It's not like I knew you two knew each other. And even if I did, why would it matter?"

She glared at the door, and he must've sensed her ease up on the handle, for he took the opportunity to push through, quickly finding the light switch and illuminating the room.

"Are you judging me?" he asked as she glared at him.

"No," she said, her eyes flicking up and down his person. "You're a single man, you can do as you please."

He raised a skeptical brow at her. 

"Annabelle's just your type."

He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You both get around," she bit her tongue when she saw his. jaw flex, knowing she'd insulted him. 

"Yeah, sure. I've got a history," he said, folding his arms and looking down at her. "That's not a secret, so why do you seem so surprised?" he challenged. 

"I'm not. I just-" she folded her arms as well, feeling herself blush. " _Annabelle._ Really?"

"What's it matter to you?"

"It doesn't, I just thought you had better taste."

"Is she not your friend?"

"She's a client."

"Whatever. You like her well enough to work with her. A few times if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah, but that's not- I mean she's just- she's a-" she spluttered, unwilling to finish that sentence at the dark look Adrien was giving her. She knew that whatever label she gave Annabelle, he would likely assume she applied to him as well. 

"She's a what Mari?"

Marinette pursed her lips and looked away from him. She wasn't used to him challenging her like this. As Chat Noir, he usually deferred to her judgment, only calling her out when she crossed a line rather egregiously which hadn't been often. Even as Adrien, he rarely challenged her beyond a gentle word when her emotions got the better of her as a teenager. This though, was new. She wasn't sure she liked it, being forced to confront the reason for her feelings. Only Alya or Chloe ever did that.

"Look, I get that your past is very different from mine. It doesn't make mine somehow wrong. Not all of us are so lucky as to find such long term relationships as you had. Some people plain just aren't interested in that. There's nothing wrong with anything two consenting adults choose to do together. It's not your place to judge anyone for that just because it's not something you would do."

Marinette ducked her head, feeling chastised. He was right of course. She didn't really understand the desire for such fleeting passion, but it wasn't her place to judge.

"I can understand if that little confrontation made you uncomfortable. Annabelle should probably have kept those details to herself, it wasn't anyone's business. Either way, you don't have any reason to be upset about it."

"I'm not upset," she huffed. "I just- you could do much better than her."

Adrien was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Are you jealous my lady?"

"What?" she scoffed, looking up at him though she could feel her cheeks burning. "Don't be ridiculous."

She heard Tikki cough none too discreetly and shot her a scowl where she floated next to Plagg a short distance away. Suddenly Adrien was in her space, one arm braced against the door as he leaned closer, that damnable smirk still in place. 

"It's ok if you are princess."

Warmth flooded her body at his proximity. She remembered Annabelle's comment about the suit looking as good on as off of him, and immediately pictured him as she'd seen him in one of his past advertisements. One for underwear as it were. Just like every other red-blooded female in the world, she hadn't been immune to his toned muscles, washboard abs and sultry expression. If she was being honest, she still had a copy of that ad hidden in her room somewhere.

She scoffed again, pushing him away. "Don't flatter yourself kitty." His eyes twinkled but he didn't say anymore.

Smoothing out her skirt, she refused to meet his eye until her pulse was under control again. She felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her when she remembered that she had just broken things off with Luka, not a month ago, and immediately felt guilty for thinking of another man so soon. Surely a seven year relationship deserved more respect than drooling over her supermodel partner just a few weeks after it's end.

"We should rejoin the party," she said, holding open her purse for Tikki to hide in again.

Adrien must've noticed the shift in her mood. He reached out, touching her arm and drawing her attention. All previous playfulness was gone. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. Come on." She opened the door, and wandered back into the hall, Adrien right behind her.

The remainder of the evening was uneventful. She spotted Annabelle across the room during dinner, watching them with a sour expression that evaporated each time she noticed Marinette looking. She and Adrien chatted with a few more guests before finding Chloe and Nathaniel and taking their leave. Adrien dropped her back off at her apartment, wishing her a Merry Christmas and then was gone.

* * *

 

Christmas morning found Marinette at her parents house. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, and dragged herself in through the door at 9AM to find her mother and father busy laying out their usual Christmas morning breakfast. Upon seeing Marinette's tired face, her mother handed her a mug of coffee, ignoring her offers of help and ushering her to sit while they finished setting up. 

As they ate, they chatted about the gala. Her parents were excited when she told them about the potential projects she had discussed with various people the night before. It seemed her business would be booming even more in the coming months. She was thrilled at the prospect of being able to keep Emil on full time, and potentially adding to her team, but her mind was still only partially invested in the conversation.

Throughout the rest of the day, as they exchanged gifts, watched Christmas movies and had dinner, a part of her mind lingered on the thoughts that had kept her up through the night. She had been attempting to ponder out her reaction to Adrien the night before, and what she could now admit had in fact been jealousy at discovering his dalliance with Annabelle. She had tried to keep her focus on Luka, and the heartache she was still meant to be nursing, but hadn't been very successful.

After a several hours contemplation, she had come to the conclusion that her break up with Luka had been a long time coming, and while it had still hurt to end it, her heart had already let him go long before they had reached that moment. 

\---

The day after Christmas, the gang got together at the Agreste mansion for their own holiday celebration and gift exchange. It was a new feeling for Adrien, being surrounded by so many people on Christmas. Even before his mother had disappeared, no one ever came over for the holidays, nor did they go anywhere. It had always just been him and his parents. The holidays had been especially lonely with just his father, who had been distant at best, and even more so over the last eleven years that he had been gone from Paris. During that time, Christmas was essentially just like any other day.

Indeed, yesterday morning had more or less started like any other day. He had given the staff the day off to be with their families and had spent the majority of the morning alone in the mansion, keeping himself occupied in the gym and at the piano. That evening, he had been invited to join the Lahiffe's and Cesaire's for dinner. A lively affair, with laughing children playing with their new toys, adults drunk on egg nog, singing Christmas carols, and a few moody teenagers. Compared to his past holiday celebrations, it had almost been overstimulating, but he had enjoyed himself immensely. 

He'd accepted Nino's challenge to a dance game in Alya's place, beating him soundly, and nearly toppling Alya's high score from the board. Nora had challenged him to an arm wrestling competition, which he was not embarrassed to say he had lost. His arm was still sore from that. And, he had enjoyed some truly delicious cooking from Alya's mom. As nice a day as it had been, he much preferred this evening, his teammates sitting around the living room, playing charades, and laughing till their sides hurt. 

Marinette lingered after the other couple's had gone home, helping him clean up, as the staff were still gone. "Did you have a good Christmas?" she asked as they put away the left over finger foods in the kitchen.

"Yeah," he smiled, remembering all the activity from the day before. "I had dinner with Nino and Alya's families. It was... festive."

She laughed. "Yeah, both of their families alone are pretty energetic. I remember the wedding..." she grinned and shook her head. "It was certainly interesting."

Adrien frowned, feeling guilty again for not having been there. "I'm sorry I missed it."

She gave him a small smile. "Me too."

"Thanks for the gift by the way," he said, changing the subject. Marinette had given him a custom made wool coat, black with a black silk lining covered in tiny green paw prints. He loved it. "I can't wait to wear it."

"You're very welcome," she said. "And thank you for yours as well. How did you know I needed a new one? Mine literally just broke about a week ago." He'd gotten her a new tackle box like contraption to keep her sewing supplies in. It was, of course, ladybug red and black spots. 

Adrien grinned and tapped his nose. "Can't reveal my secrets." She suspected it was Emil who had told him. 

"Shall we go for a run this evening bugaboo?" he asked, as they cleared away the last of the food and trash. "It's a beautiful night out."

She looked out the kitchen window at the cloudy night sky. It had thankfully been dry the last few days, though still overcast. She dreaded going out in the cold for patrol, knowing there was a good chance they'd get soaked while they were at it, but tonight seemed promising. She shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"Oh! Hang on one second!" Adrien dashed upstairs while Marinette gave their kwami's a quick snack before transforming. When Adrien returned, he was holding two Santa hats. One was the one she had given him years ago as a teenager, the other was covered in red glitter and she suspected he had purchased it just for her.

"You kept it," she said, staring at the hat in his hand. 

He grinned fondly at it. "I keep everything you give me princess." He handed her her hat, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a little beaded charm she hadn't seen in years. She'd almost forgotten she'd given it to him, though the memory came clearly to her now.

She blindly reached for her purse, pulling out a similar charm, and holding it up for him to see. She heard him take a sharp breath in surprise, his smile growing. She had no idea why she'd kept it all these years, let alone carried it around with her. For some reason, she'd never been able to let it go, not even just to banish it to the back of her jewelry box. Her's didn't appear as well worn as his did, but Adrien was flattered she had kept it just the same. 

"Are you two done being sentimental?" Plagg complained, ignoring Tikki's 'sh'. "If you're going out, I'd like to get it over with. It may not be snowing or raining, but it's still cold. Not to mention all the activity of the last few days has worn me out. I'm almost ready for bed."

"Sorry Plagg," Adrien said, tucking the charm back in his pocket and calling for his transformation. Marinette followed suit, and after pulling on their hats, they leapt through the window, out into the night.

Several civilians spotted them as they ran over rooftops, shouting out greetings to them and they waved back. The city was even more beautiful that usual, covered in twinkling holiday lights from nearly every building. They stopped by the Dupain-Cheng bakery, grabbing hot chocolate and pastries from Tom and Sabine. Marinette had finally told them her identity years ago, after Hawkmoth had been gone for some time. They were proud of her, but a bit peeved they hadn't known she'd been in such danger for so long without them knowing. These days, they were happy to offer Team Miraculous little treats whenever they stopped by.

They perched on Marinette's old balcony for a moment to enjoy, nostalgia hitting both of them strongly that night, after their little exchange in the kitchen. Once on their way again, they bantered back and forth like they used to, mixed in with some light sparring to keep things interesting. They were having a great time until Chat's smile abruptly dropped and Ladybug again found herself tackled to the ground as a shot rang out.

"Good lord, again!? It's Christmas!" She cried as he rolled off her, both of them staying low. 

She could hear civilians shouting from the streets below. It had been much later in the evening the last time they were attacked, and with the holidays, there were more people out than usual. They needed to shut this down quickly before someone got hurt. 

"Do you see him Chat?"

He nodded, peering carefully from behind their cover. "He's a couple stories over us," he said, inclining his head to the building across from them. 

She cursed. With their attackers vantage point, it would be nearly impossible to move without being seen. "What I wouldn't give for an illusion to provide a distraction right now," she muttered, thinking of Rena. Her skills would definitely be handy right now, if only she wasn't temporarily out of commission. 

"Well, we can't just sit her all night. That shot likely attracted more attention."

Ladybug cringed, knowing he was right. Oftentimes, it seemed curiosity outweighed fear, making their jobs very difficult when trying to protect the general populace. Civilians, particularly ones like Alya used to be, always insisted on knowing what was happening, even at the risk of their own safety. "We need to get to higher ground. Avoid windows where you can, I'd hate for a stray bullet to someone else's home."

Chat nodded, and on her signal, they bounded out from their hiding spot, vaulting and swinging away, a trail of shots following them. They managed to swing around the sides of the building Chat had spotted the shooter in, each slipping in through seperate entrances and carefully prowling through the area, searching floor by floor, but nearly half na hour later, neither had found anything. 

"Where did he go?" Ladybug asked perplexed. "How could he have gotten away so fast?"

Chat frowned, looking disturbed. "I don't know. But one things for sure, we need to be on our guard from now on. So far, he's only attacked you and I, but there's no telling if he's  _only_ after us, or if he might go for out teammates too if given the chance."

Ladybug pursed her lips. "You're right. I think, for now at least, it might be best if we take the rest of the team off patrol. You and I can manage for right now. We won't be able to patrol every night, but without a villain like Hawkmoth on the loose it's not as necessary. I have a feeling this one will only come out when we do."

"We should probably talk with the mayor too," Chat agreed. "Have him urge people to be on the lookout, and not wander through the city late at night until we get this resolved."

Ladybug snapped open her yo-yo and shot off a quick message to the mayor's secretary to set up a meeting. Hopefully they could meet with her soon and get the message out quickly. For now though... "Let's go home kitty. It's getting late and I think we've had enough excitement for one night."

* * *

The team had been equally disturbed when they told their second run in with the shooter. Though not particularly happy about it, Nino and Chloe agreed to abstain from patrol for the time being. Alya, who was now nearly six months pregnant, while worried for Marinette and Adrien, was immensely glad of the prospect of having her husband home every night. Especially since she was also forced to sit out patrols. 

Adrien and Marinette tried to keep to their usual routines, despite their reduced sleep time thanks to all the extra patrols they were now taking on. Adrien had attended a New Years party that he'd begged out of early, not long after midnight, promptly passing out as soon as he got home. Marinette was doing her best not to allow herself to drown in work again, as he anxiety grew with each night they were unable to learn anything about their attacker. 

The attacks themselves were sporadic at best. Only occurring one week or every other week. They had purposely kept their routes random, in the hope of both lowering their own predictability and attempting to pinpoint a specific radius from which they were being targeted. After another month or so, they were able to narrow the range to a specific 4 block radius, though they still had little else to go on.

Adrien had told Dr Laurent about the attacks, which by now most of the city had heard of. The doctor had given a couple of theories about what kind of suspect they might be looking for. An aggrieved family member of someone they had been 'unable to save'; a potential Hawkmoth copycat of sorts; and, perhaps most disturbing, a pure and simple psychopath that had fixated on the two of them for some reason.

Since the attacks hadn't started until after Chat Noir had begun patrolling with Ladybug again, Adrien couldn't help but feel at least partially responsible for they current situation. HE had wondered, more than once, if it might not be better if they split up. That way, not only would they both had fewer patrols to cover, but they might be able to narrow down if they were both the intended targets or just him. Ladybug had vehemently protested each time he mentioned it, and after the third time, he stopped asking. 

Adrien's contract had officially ended with the start of the new year, but not long after, they had returned with an offer to contract him for the spring and summer collections as well, which he readily accepted. He was planning on staying in Paris anyway, he might as well take the work while it was still being offered. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to model anyway, or that he even wanted to continue doing it. At least not at the same rate he had been for the last several years. 

Adrien's friends had been thrilled with his decision to stay, even Marinette seemed relieved though still skeptical. He wondered what it would take to convince her that he wasn't planning on going anywhere. He had meant it when he said he wouldn't leave her again. He had recommitted to their partnership, and he had no intention of breaking that commitment again. 

One evening, in late January, the group had been out to a movie together, and were rather animatedly debating their interpretations of the ending while they waited in line for hot drinks at a cafe nearby. While Marinette had been in the midst of countering Adrien's argument, she'd suddenly stopped talking, her eyes catching on something behind his shoulder. Their friends, all on high alert, whipped around to face the direction she was looking to find a different sight than they were expecting, but a shocking on nonetheless.

Across the street, exiting the same theatre they had just been in, was Luka.... with Kagami.

 


	12. "Say you want me, back in your life..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo... two updates in one weekend. Go me.
> 
> Also, the chapter is titled after the song Youngblood by Five Seconds of Summer because I feel it really describes what their relationship is like. Do you agree?

Marinette froze, staring at the couple across the street.  _He was home?_ Of course he was. He said he would be gone for two months, it had been at least that long. He hadn't told her he was back in town, but then again, why would he? The last time she saw him, she had handed him back his ring and told him they were done. 

She had already decided several weeks ago that she had moved on from him, yet it was still a shock to see him, particularly with another woman. She may have let him go, but she still hadn't really allowed to herself to move on. Not to someone else at least. Though, it seemed he hadn't had much trouble with that. 

Part of her was angry that he could so easily set aside the last eight years so easily. Another part of her knew she wasn't being fair. After all, if she had already determined that they weren't meant to be and had let him go, why wouldn't it also make sense that he had come to the same conclusion?

Luka must've felt her eyes on him, for he looked up, teal eyes connecting with blue ones and his smile froze in place. He blinked, coming back to himself and said something to Kagami, who looked at her as well, nodding, before he started crossing the street towards her.

"Excuse me, she mumbled absently as she started to move in his direction as well, ignoring the worried looks of her friends.

She waited for him on the other side of the intersection, staring up at him as she waited for him to speak first. 

"Mari, I-" he stopped, seeming unsure of what to say next. "I'm sorry," he continued. 

Marinette wasn't sure how to respond so she just kept staring at him and he eventually spoke again. 

"I can imagine how this must look to you. I swear it's not what you think."

"You're not on a date with Kagami?" So she found her voice after all.

"Well... yes. But, it's not- this is new, like the first time, like we weren't- seeing each other before now, I wouldn't do that to you. I-"

She laid a hand on his arm to stop his rambling. "I know you wouldn't. I'm not sure I ever could've accused you of that, I'm just... shocked I guess. I hadn't been expecting to see you."

"Yeah..." he grimaced apologetically. "Perhaps I should've given you some warning or something. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I think we both know we made the right decision in ending things. You have every right to move on. To be happy." She glanced over his shoulder at the woman waiting shyly on the other side of the street, trying to look like she wasn't watching them. "I'm glad you've found someone. Kagami is a good woman, I've always liked her."

"Thanks," he said, his shoulders falling slightly in relief. After a moment he chuckled nervously. "Ah, this awkward. I'm sorry."

MArinette chuckled with him. "It's ok. It was bound to be awkward. I'm sure it pry still will be for a while, but I hope we can still be friends?"

"Yeah, definitely." He smiled at her then, a genuine smile. He looked over her shoulder as well, lifting his hand in an awkward half-wave at her friends. "I'm sure they pry want to kill me right now."

Marinette looked back at the group and gave them a reassuring smile. "Nah," she said, turning back to him. "They're protective sure, but they love you too. They'll understand."

"I hope so." Luka's eyes seemed to be glued to one person in particular, before moving back to her with a knowing look. "It seems I'm not the only one who's found someone."

"Huh?" she looked over her shoulder again, assessing the group, but couldn't determine what he meant.

"I should go. It was good seeing you Mari. I hope you had a good holiday."

"You as well," she said, still confused. She waved at Kagami as he made his way back to her, and the woman smiled back sheepishly. She stood watching them walk away for a moment before heading back to the group.

"You alright girl?" Alya asked, handing her a steaming cup of her favorite spiced tea. 

"Yeah, it's cool."

They all looked at her skeptically and she laughed. "I swear! We've... come to an understanding. We've both moved on, had some time ago I think, just took a while for us both to realize it. It's cool. We're cool."

Alya frowned at her for a minute, assessing. "If you say so," she finally conceded with a shrug, sipping her drink. Hot water with honey and cinnamon, since she was no longer allowed to have caffeine. 

"Well, great!" Chloe said, earning everyone's attention. She rolled her eyes. "I liked him well enough, and I'm sure it would've been an- interesting wedding, what with both of you being such artsy types, but it was exhausting watching you go back and forth. I mean really, either do the damn thing, or leave it be."

Nathaniel gave her a reproachful look, but she just shrugged and snuggled into his side. "What? Like you weren't thinking the same thing."

"Yes, dear," he said with a half smirk. "But, I have a bit more tact than to say it out loud. Not all of one's thoughts need to be shared."

Chloe just snorted. "Whatever. Now where's my drink? I'm freezing." The barista handed over their drinks, which Chloe snatched up and started sauntering away. "Let's go inside, I have no idea what is wrong with you all, standing out here in the cold like commoners when there is a perfectly warm building right here."

Nathaniel shook his head, sighing fondly as he followed his wife, and his drink, inside. The others looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before following. 

"She kinda has a point though," Nino said quietly, earning him a smack on the arm from his wife. "Ow!"

"Shut up, you idiot."

Marinette and Adrien brought up the rear. "You sure you're ok?" Adrien asked, praying she couldn't hear the hope in his voice. If she was sincere, and she really had moved on from Luka then maybe... _No_. He stopped that train of thought before it got too far away from him.  _You're just friends. If she decides she wants to be more, she'll come to you._  

"Yeah," she smiled back at him. "I'm ok."

* * *

Adrien sighed, pouting at the ceiling as his hands idly picked at the label on his beer bottle. Nino sat across from him, listening to him chatter on an on about their metal friend like the lovesick fool he was. 

"You've made good progress with her I'll give you that," he continued. "But she's still a long way from being in love with you again."

 

"What do you mean again? You've said that before and at first I thought it was just a figure of speech but-"

 

"Oh for crying out loud! Not you too?!" Somewhere over Nino's head, Adrien heard Plagg start laughing.

 

"What?" Adrien asked, a little surprised by the outburst. "Wait, are you telling me she- no, she couldn't have. Really?"

 

"Jesu- Yes!" Nino dragged a hand over his face and shook his head. "Mon Dieu. You two are both blind idiots. I mean it was painful enough to watch when we were younger, it's even more painful now."

 

"Come on, you're acting like it was obvious."

 

"IT WAS!"

 

Plagg was laughing so hard now he fell from the shelf he'd been napping on. Adrien's brow knitted, completely flabbergasted at the whole thing. "The hell is so funny?" he snapped at his kwami.

 

Plagg held his stomach in one hand and wiped away tears with another. "Cuz he's right, and it's just as funny now as it was then."

 

"W-what? You knew too?!"

 

"Everyone knew, man!" Nino cried looking about a 1000% done with this conversation. 

 

"Ha ha, yeah. Don't worry, she was just as oblivious as you were back then. It was an endless source of frustration for Tikki who was like the _ultimate_ Adrinette shipper, and endless entertainment for me."

 

"I-I don't-" Adrien turned to Nino, pleading. "What am I missing? How could I not have known?"  _I mean I had_ hoped _, but I didn't_ know.

 

"I don't know!" Nino have a long suffering sigh before apparently deciding to take pity on him. "Ok, back when we were fourteen, why did you think she was always so flustered and tongue tied around you? I mean, most of the time the girl could barely manage a half coherent sentence when you were involved."

 

"I don't know," Adrien shrugged. "I just figured she was shy? She lost it eventually."

 

"Shy? Dude, are we talking about the same Marinette?" Nino laid a hand on Adrien's shoulder, leaning in a little to meet his eye. "Do me a favor, I want you to think waaay back to the very first time you met her. Your first day of school..."

 

Adrien took a second to remember the moment he was talking about. It seemed like another lifetime now. Marinette had snapped at him for putting gum in her chair when, in reality, he had been trying to remove the gum Chloe had put there. 

 

She had turned her nose up at him that day, essentially writing him off until later that afternoon when he had explained the situation and offered her his umbrella. It was the first time she had stuttered in front of him, and the pattern had continued for nearly a year. He'd gotten so used to it, he'd forgotten that it wasn't how she had been when they first met. And apparently it also made him blind to the fact that she didn't stutter with literally anyone else.

 

His expression must've said enough as he heard Nino chuckle. "You were so socially inept when you first started school I guess I always just thought that was why you couldn't tell. I'm still surprised you didn't start to notice eventually. Especially when you started to like her too. Why do you think I kept telling you talk to her about it. Why I was so adamant that she wouldn't turn you down."

 

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose it makes a little more sense now that I know you're Chat Noir. You were head over heels for Ladybug back then too. Ironically enough they were the same person." 

 

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Adrien asked, stricken.

 

Nino sighed, they'd had this conversation before. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

 

"Ugh, I know!" Adrien groaned, sinking further into his chair. 

 

"You're hopeless," Nino chuckled.

 

"I know," Adrien agreed, pouting again. 

* * *

Alya watched Marinette work from the corner of her eye as she pretended to flip through a magazine. They were planning her baby shower that would be held in a few weeks, Marinette's creative mind on overdrive as she put together adorable invitations and started working on decorations. 

 

Everything was done in neutral colors of grey and tan as Alya had decided to do the gender reveal at the shower. The guests would be told, discreetly, of course, so they could pick their gifts accordingly, but Alya and Nino wouldn't find out until they started opening gifts. They were still debating names at this point. She liked Estelle or Desiree for a girl, and Louis or Manuel for a boy, though Nino kept joking that he wanted to name the baby Luke so he could say "I am your father" whenever he was scolding him. 

 

"So..." she started slowly. "You and Adrien have been getting awfully close lately..." She'd been avoiding talking about it ever since she first noticed the shift in their dynamic, not wanting to set her friend off, but she was fairly bursting with curiosity now, after Marinette had admitted she was over Luka. She couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with a certain blonde supermodel.

 

Marinette's scissors paused for a beat before continuing on with their work. "I- yeah, we're friends again I guess."

 

Alya quirked a brow at her. "Just friends huh?"

 

"Yes," Marinette insisted throwing her a glare. "We made amends, I think we understand each other a little better now." Her expression turned thoughtful, and Alya got the impression she was thinking out loud without realizing it since her hands were still intent on their task, even as more information spilled from her mouth. 

 

"It's been nice having him around on patrols again. Kinda feels like old times. Though not quite, since obviously a lot has happened since then. Still, even with all the stress with the shooter and all, Chat's always had a way of lightening the mood."

 

A smile crept over her face, her features softening. "He still puns too much, and is still a huge flirt, but he's matured a lot. I know if anything happens, he's got my back."

 

"So, you're not still worried he's going to leave again?"

 

Marinette's head popped up, apparently just realizing she'd said all of that out loud. "Uh... honestly? I don't know. I mean, I want to believe it but I'm just-"

 

"Scared?"

 

She frowned, not sure that was really the right word, but she agreed. "Yeah, I suppose."

 

"Hmm," Alya hummed, watching her friend closely. "Question is, are you scared because you need him to fight with you still, or is it something more on the -romantic side?"

 

"Alya," Marinette warned, but Alya plowed ahead in her typical fashion. 

 

"I'm just saying, you said yourself before that you've always had a soft spot for him. I don't think you've closed your heart off from him nearly as tightly as you like to think you have. Perhaps with all the time you two have been spending together, you're finding yourself falling for him again?"

 

Marinette scoffed. "We're just friends," she insisted again. Her face turned red, belying her claim, and she ducked her head, returning to her work. "Besides, Luka and I just-"

 

"Oh give me a break woman," Alya interrupted. "That's just an excuse and you know it. It's been almost three months now since you two broke up, you already said you were over it and he's clearly moving on so why can't you? You were the one who ended things after all, obviously it was what you wanted."

 

At Marinette's expression, she softened her tone. "Why can't you just allow yourself to be happy girl?"

 

"I am happy," she said, though she didn't look up at Alya, clearly not quite believing her own words. "My career is taking off, I finally have employees now, I have my partner back, my best friend is having a baby... life is good."

 

Alya sighed, wondering if it was worth it to keep pressing the issue. "You're right. Things are going pretty good for you overall, and I'm proud of you, you deserve it. But I know you... you're a romantic at heart. You can keep pretending you're ok with being single, but I know you're not. That's not the life you want for yourself."

 

"And you think it's what Adrien the playboy wants?" she snapped, setting her scissors down again. "He's spent the last decade, prancing around the globe with some of the most beautiful women on the planet. What man would want to give that up?"

 

"A man in love?"

 

Marinette huffed, looking away. She didn't respond and Alya decided to drop it for now, figuring she'd given her enough to chew on. Turning back to the magazine in her hand, she flipped the page around to show her friend. "What do you think of this for the nursery?"

* * *

Chat Noir and Ladybug stopped high up on the Eiffel Tower to catch their breath. They hadn't really come here much since he had returned. It had always been a favorite of theirs when they were younger, but they had both been avoiding it. He suspected though that the same nostalgia that seemed to be hanging around the two of them since Christmas had something to do with them stopping here tonight.

 

It had been a mostly quiet patrol, though they did step in briefly to stop a car jacking before moving on their way again. Now they sat quietly next to each other, looking out over the lights of the city. He closed his eyes, breathing in the frigid night air and enjoying this moment of peace.

 

"How have you been doing?" Ladybug asked haltingly. Opening his eyes, he turned to her with a smile. 

 

"Good. I actually enjoyed the holidays for once, and I'm glad my contract was extended. It's been good to be home again." He noted how her brows ticked up when he used the word home to refer to Paris. 

 

"Have you... met anyone?"

 

He frowned slightly, wondering where this line of questioning was coming from. "No, not really. I haven't been with-" he stopped himself from saying he hadn't been with anyone since Annabelle, not wanting to remind her of that unfortunate encounter. "No, I haven't really met anyone since I've been home." 

 

She made a small noise of acknowledgment, turning away from him again. If he wasn't mistaken, he thought he detected a hint of pink under her mask. "Are you..." she trailed off biting her lip. 

 

He tilted his head, watching her curiously. "Yes, my lady?"

 

She cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Are you, uh, lonely? At all?"

 

He was utterly bemused by the entire conversation, caught somewhere between laughing and frowning. "Are you worried about me bugaboo?"

 

"I-wha-I just-" she spluttered, her eyes dating over to him and quickly away. "...maybe."

 

He grinned. She was adorable. Leaning back again, he looked out over the city once more as he thought of his answer, giving her some reprieve from his gaze. "I guess I get lonely sometimes," he said honestly. "But I'm kind of used to it. It's not so bad though, I've got all my friends here. Very different from when I was traveling a lot. I didn't usually stay in one place for long, so it was a bit hard to make friends."

 

"So, you're happy here?"

 

"Of course." He turned to her again, with a meaningful look. "I'm  _home."_

 

They simply looked at each other for a long moment, a slow smile spreading over her face.

 

"Do you- want to hangout? After we finish patrol I mean?" he asked a bit nervously. They still hadn't really hung out just the two of them outside of their superhero duties. "We could watch a movie, or play video games? I've got the new Mecha Strike?"

 

She grinned. "Oh, you're on." She shot to her feet, and threw out her yo-yo before he could scramble to him feet, swinging away as her laughter trailed behind her. 

* * *

"BOOYAH!" Marinette yelled, thrusting her hands in the air triumphantly.

 

"Aw man!" Adrien cried, dropping his head back on the sofa as he watched Marinette's character knock his out for about the seventh straight time. 

 

She giggled, leaning over with teasing pout. "Aw, poor kitty."

 

He scowled playfully, looking away, making her giggle harder. She set her controller down, leaning one elbow across the back of the couch, and reaching out to tap his nose with her free hand. He turned back to her with a smile, drinking in the glowing expression she always wore after a victory. 

 

"It's good to have you back Chaton," she said, unconsciously leaning in closer. 

 

"It's good to be back, my lady," he said, matching her movements until their faces were inches apart. His mouth went dry as his eyes dropped to her lips, watching her tongue dart out to lick them. He pulled his gaze back up to her eyes, in time to see them drop to his own lips. 

 

He took at as a sign, slowly closing the distance between them, giving her plenty of time to object. When she didn't, he tilted his chin the rest of the way, nearly sighing as their lips met. He moved slowly, not wanting to scare her with the intensity of feeling had flooded his brain the moment they touched. Her mouth moved with his, hesitantly but with more and more insistence as her lips parted, allowing him access. 

 

He reached up to cup the back of her head, which seemed to break the spell for some reason as she suddenly shot to her feet, her chin nearly colliding with his nose. He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his fist to his mouth as she paced away from him agitatedly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have-"

 

"Adrien-" she cut him off, spinning around to face him. She waited for his eyes to finally open, the expression in them was equal parts regretful and vulnerable. She took a deep breath and found herself speaking before her brain caught up with her words.

 

"After all this time... I don't want soft and sweet. I don't want tenderness and romance. I want passion, and power. Pain and pleasure. I want everything you've got." His eyes widen as his mouth dropped open.

 

She held up a finger. "One night. That's what I'm willing to give you. You can take it or leave it, I promise, it won't change anything between us. But if you take it... make it count."

 

She watched him debate internally with himself as a myriad of emotions crossed his face. She knew he'd come to a decision when she saw his eyes darken, a smoldering intensity taking over his features. 

 

He stood and approached her slowly till he was standing over her, and she tilted her head back to maintain eye contact, her chest rising rapidly with her increased breathing. They were really going to do this. 

 

The voice at the back of her head told her she'd never been able to keep that promise of only one night. In the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't be enough. And she knew she was a fool if she really though it wouldn't change anything. As soon as she let him in again, she'd never be able to get him out again. She forced that voice to silence, trembling as he lifted a hand to run the backs of his fingers over her cheek.

 

"Come," was all he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards his bedroom, but she went willingly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted this in the notes of my other fic but I wanted to put it here as well. I have anther idea for a story that I'm playing with, not sure if I want to write it so I thought I'd sort poll for interest.
> 
> I read several stripper/exotic dancer AUs recently that gave me the idea. (Freedom Shamrock, emmaleewhitaker, seasonofthegeek and a few others) Basic premise: Adrien is co-owner of an exclusive gentlemen's club/burlesque type strip joint, with his old friend Plagg. It would be a non-magic, reverse crush AU where Ladybug is in love with her dance partner, Chat Noir, and Adrien the model is in love with his father's intern, Marinette. 
> 
> What do you think?


	13. And I’m just a dead man crawling tonight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if I should raise the rating on the entire fic just for this one scene, but be forewarned, this one is explicit with some light BDSM play.🙈
> 
> For everyone not bothered by this... enjoy. 😈

Adrien's mind was a riot of thoughts and emotions as he led Marinette upstairs to his room, for once grateful for the distance between the game room and his bedroom. His brain scrambled for a plan of action as they drew closer and closer to his door. Why on earth had he said yes? He supposed he had lust to blame for that. He knew that if she hadn't just kissed him, the rational part of his brain would've been more firmly in control. As it was, blood flow seemed to be in short supply above his waist.

When she proposed the offer of one night, a voice in his mind screamed that accepting would be a horrible idea. Another voice wondered if this was some kind of test. Unfortunately the overriding voice at the moment was saying "go for it!" Now he was trying to convince himself that if this was all he would get from her, than having her once was better than never. He was very aware of how selfish that was, but he'd already said yes, and he couldn't figure out how to back out without embarrassing both of them.

He held the door open for her, inhaling her perfume as she passed, and closing it behind them. He purposely didn't lock it, still trying to give both of them an out. He pulled her over to stand in the middle of the room where the moonlight poured in from the floor to ceiling windows, casting her pale skin and dark hair in an ethereal glow. His heart pounded against his ribcage as he turned to face her, reaching up to brush her hair off her cheeks and over her shoulders trailing his fingertips over her skin the entire way.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, looking into her eyes while his fingers dragged lazily over her curves, trying to intimidate her. He jumped on the hesitation he saw in her eyes, hoping she would be the one to put a stop to this. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was rejecting her... again. "You can still say no, I won't hold it against you. You've never done this before."

She shivered when his finger traced the v-neck of her sweater, first shaking her head then nodding. "Y-yes, I'm sure."

He tilted his head, the corner of his lips lifting. "You don't sound so sure of yourself princess." He stepped closer, crowding her space. She rocked back on her heels but didn't step away. "Tell me what you want," he challenged.

"You."

He tsked, his smirk growing. "I need more detail than that, love. What do you want?" He never stopped touching her, placing a finger under her chin and sliding his thumb across her lips. He was doing his level best to push her buttons, sure she had never been toyed with like this. Half of him hoped it was enough to scare her off, the other half wanted her to like it. To crave it as much he did. 

"I-I-want-"

His knuckles moved from under her chin, sliding down her throat and over her sternum. He never broke eye contact, and to her credit, neither did she. The longer she tried to hold his gaze however, the more erratic her breathing became. He waited while she continued to stutter, not giving her an inch. She didn't know what she was asking of him. She couldn't. He wasn't about to hand the cards over to her though. If he was going to do this, he wanted- no  _need_ _ed_ to be the one in control. 

Finally, she managed to get her mouth working. "I want you to make love to me," she whispered, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. 

As soon as the words left her mouth, his blood heated and he knew he was done for. He couldn't have backed out now if he wanted to. He'd tried to intimidate her into backing down, but he should've known his lady would never do such a thing. As always, she rose to the occasion, saying the exact words he'd dreamed of hearing her say. Still, he teased her a little more.

"Love?" he asked, raising a brow.

She blushed a shade darker, but lifted her chin stubbornly, clearly she wasn't used to speaking her desires out loud. "Do your worst."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Now, my lady, those are two very different commands. Which will it be? Do you want me to do my worst? or do you want me to make love? I will gladly do either, both of which I'm sure you would enjoy, but I need you to tell me exactly what it is you desire."

"I... don't know," she admitted.

He lifted a brow, still silently challenging her. She glanced away, then back at him, a pleading look in her eye. "I don't know what to say here. My experience is far more limited than yours. Not that I'm judging," she rushed to say, when he started to back away. "This is just new to me."

"You can do it princess," he encouraged, resuming his previous seduction. "Take a moment, think about it, and tell me what you want."

She did as he asked, her eyes drifting down to stare at his chest as she thought. All the while, he kept teasing her, fingers sliding under the hem of her sweater, the cold contrasting with her warm skin. He was surprised she was able to answer at all, given the way she trembled in front of him. 

"I want all of you," she said, looking back up at him. He froze. "Nearly 15 years of fantasies... I want all the things we've always dreamed of doing to each other..." her voice was breathy, full of want.

He leaned into her, pressing his forehead to hers as he tried to hold onto the last shreds of his self control. "You don't know what you're asking," he whispered pleading. 

"Then show me," she said, her hands sliding tentatively over his chest, to wind in his hair, pulling his mouth down to hers. 

He groaned into her mouth, melding their bodies together and his arms wrapped around her. What followed was one of the most passionate kisses he'd ever experienced in his life. By the time he managed to reel himself in and pull away, they were both thoroughly disheveled, clothes rumpled, hair a mess, her lipstick smeared across both of their lips. Holding her at arms length, he took a few deep breaths until he was master of himself again. 

When he opened his eyes again, her big blue eyes were watching him, dark and needy. Immediately he knew that if he had to look at them for the rest of the night, he'd never survive. "Wait here," he said hoarsely. 

Stepping around her, he walked to the closet, pulling down the black duffel bag. Bringing it back into the room, he dropped it on the couch, pulling out the silk blindfold from the front pocket and placing it over her eyes before she could get too curious. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Y-yes."

"Say it like you mean it."

"Yes, I trust you."

"Earlier you said you wanted pain and pleasure. Is that still what you want?"

She nodded. 

"You sure you can handle it?" he challenged, knowing exactly how she would respond, and indeed, she lifted her chin with a confident "yes."

He smiled, pushing her hair aside to kiss the tender skin behind her ear, enjoying the way her breath hitched. "Ok then. Let's play."

"Here's how this is going to work," he began, backing away. Immediately her head turned to follow his voice. He silently stepped forward again, speaking in her ear. "Eyes front princess."

She jumped, whipping her head back to face the windows. 

"Good girl," he purred, making her bite her lip. 

"First things first, I may be giving the commands, but you're in control. At any time, you can stop, no questions asked understood?"

She nodded. 

"Say it."

"Yes."

"Good. Now, if at any time things are too intense and you need me to slow down, or stop, you use your safe words."

"Which are?"

He smirked. "Yellow, if you need a break. Mercy if you need to stop. Repeat them for me, please." She did so and he rewarded her with another kiss on the neck. "Now, hold tight, I'm not leaving you, I just need to get ready."

"Ok," she breathed as he back away again, headed for the bag on the couch.

Taking his time unpacking it, he laid it contents out on the cushions before him, formulating a plan in his mind. He didn't play Dom often, hadn't done so in some time, but tonight, it seemed appropriate. At least for now, he could pretend to channel his emotions into control. Perhaps it would even make it easier... that remained to be seen however. Finally making his choice, he picked up the first toy for the evening and strolled back over, a new wave of confidence rolling over him as he slipped into character. 

He stood in front of her, legs wide and arms crossed, close enough for her to feel his presence but too far to touch. "Undress."

She hesitated briefly, reaching for her sweater with shaking hands. He watched raptly as she pulled it over her head, careful not to dislodge the blindfold. Next she reached for the button of her jeans, sliding them down her toned legs, along with her socks, and kicked them aside. She stood in front of him in her underwear, her hands held awkwardly at her sides. He smiled at her nervousness.

"All the way princess."

Her breath hitched, and she again hesitated, but obeyed. When she was completely bare, he allowed his eyes to rove over every inch of her, drinking her in. The way the moonlight shone on her pale skin, the sheen of her hair, the delicate freckles that dotted her skin. Walking a slow circle around her, her took her in from every angle. "Beautiful," he breathed from behind her.

She fidgeted in place, her arms coming up to cover herself. "Nah-uh," he said sharply, making her jump again. "Don't hide. You've nothing to be ashamed of. But if you can't keep your hands still, I'll have to restrain them."

Her lips parted, a lovely blush staining her cheeks and he could swear she was excited at the prospect. "Hmm. Is that what you want? For me to restrain you?"

She bit her lip and nodded. She yelped when he suddenly swatted her ass with the riding crop in his hands. "Say it."

"Y-yes." She automatically reached back to rub her backside and he gently shooed her hand away, caressing the little pink spot himself. He had to remember this was new for her. She didn't know all the rules yet, but boy would it be fun to teach her.

"Sorry, princess. I should've mentioned: for the duration of this scene, when I ask you a question, I expect a verbal response. Also," he continued stepping away from her again. "You will address me as sir. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," she said sarcastically, her jaw flexing.

Adrien smirked. He had a feeling she wouldn't like that last rule, but that was part of the bargain. If she demanded all of him, then in return he expected her full submission. 

"Good girl. Let's try that again. Do you want me to tie your hands up?"

She pursed her lips for a second before responding with a little less sass this time. "Yes, sir."

"As you wish." Tucking the riding crop under his arm, he gathered the padded cuffs from the couch, returning to her side. "Hold out your wrist."

She held her hand out, palm up and he slid the binding over her wrist, securing it and checking to make sure it wasn't too tight.

"Permission to speak?" she asked saucily as he worked. He smirked, tempted to strike her again for the attitude, but conceded. 

"Of course."

"Do you do this often?"

He paused for a second before resuming. "I always play a bit rough princess," he said honestly. "But no, I've only done this a handful of times.... only with people I trusted."

"People  _you_ trusted?"

"Yes. Trust goes both ways in this kind of dynamic. You're trusting me not to hurt you, and I'm trusting you to be honest with me if I do. This is about your pleasure as much as mine. If something makes you uncomfortable, or you simply don't like something, I expect you to tell me."

She bit her lip and nodded, and again he paused. "Do you want to keep going?"

"Yes- sir," she said before he could swat her again. 

He smiled, leaning down to kiss her shoulder. "You're learning."

Guiding her arm to rest at her side again, he asked for her other wrist repeating the process before connecting them together with a short chain that rested beneath her ass. He stepped back to admire the view when he was finished, almost groaning at the sight. He could only imagine how she would look properly restrained, but that was a bit too much for the first time. This would have to do.

He watched her wrists flex, testing out the bindings. "How does that feel? Not too tight? Uncomfortable?"

"No," she said.  _Smack._ "Ngh- no  _sir!"_

"Does that hurt?"

"No, sir."

His brows furrowed at her tone. "Be honest."

"It doesn't hurt," she promised. "I mean it stings a little, more than anything it's just... shocking I guess." 

"Do you like it?"

She licked her lips, thinking about it. "Yes, sir," she finally nodded. 

He grinned. "Good. Now, again, tell me your safe words?"

"Yellow and mercy."

"Good girl," he said, stepping up to kiss her properly. "You ready?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir." Her breathy voice was intoxicating. He took a step back, breathing deeply. 

"Then, let's begin. I'll start slowly, and build intensity. Let me know when it's too much."

He started with a light tap on her stomach, watching her abs contract. Then another, and another, increasing the pace, the riding crop moving gradually downwards towards her legs. He tapped her foot with his own spreading her stance to reach her inner thighs. After a few minutes, she was flinching and crying out but still hadn't told him to stop, as he worked around her body in a slow circle.

When they were both panting, he stopped, stepping up behind her, allowing her to lean against his chest. Winding an arm around her waist, his lips sought her earlobe, playing with it between his teeth. "You doing alright?"

"Y-yes, s-sir," she panted. 

"Want to keep going?"

"Mmhmm," she mumbled. He pinched her side lightly and she hissed. "Yes, sir."

"Good girl," he praised, tossing the riding crop aside, and sliding his hands over her skin, soothing all the places he'd just abused. His lips danced along her neck, relishing her little sighs. She moaned when he dipped his fingers between her thighs feeling her arousal. He played with her a minute before pulling away with a kiss to her temple.

He chuckled when she whimpered, swaying slightly on her feet. "Steady. You're alright. I'll be right back, I promise."

He could hear her pulling at her restraints as he wandered back over to the couch. He tugged his sweater and t-shirt off over his head as he debated what to grab next. Untlimately, he settled on a sleek black vibrator, switching it on and checking the battery level. Good to go. Moving back over to her, he tapped the button to start the lowest level of vibrations, hearing the way she gasped when she recognized the sound. 

He touched it to her breasts, teasing one nipple then the next, before raising it to her mouth. He pressed it to her lips and without command, they parted, wrapping around the small bullet shape. Adrien sucked in a breath as he watched her, he could swear she smirked.  _Tease._ He pulled the toy back out with a pop, immediately reaching between her thighs, but not before bumping up the intensity of the vibrations. 

As soon as it touched her, her body bowed forward on a moan. He caught her to him, cradling her against his chest, stroking her back and gripping her ass as her hips ground into his hand. It didn't take much before her whole body shuddered, and she cried out incoherently. Her knees gave out and he scooped her up, carrying her to the bed. Carefully laying her down, he unhooked her hands from behind her back, securing them instead to the headboard over her head. 

He stood back to watch her as she came down from her orgasm, pulling the rest of his clothes off and reaching for the box of condoms in his nightstand. When she stilled again, he reached out to run a hand over her stomach, kissing her on the lips. "How are you feeling princess?"

"Mmm-good. Great."

He grinned at her dopey smile, carefully crawling onto the bed beside her, he continued running his hand over her. "You up for more?"

In answer, she arched her back, wiggling her hips. Swatting her backside he asked again. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good girl." He kissed his way down her body, burying his face between her thighs for a quick taste while he prepped himself. When he was ready, he crawled back over her, settling between her legs. "Ready?"

"Yes," she breathed. 

He let the lack of title slide that time, too impatient to wait any longer as he carefully, but firmly slid inside of her. He groaned low and loud at the sensation, it had been months since he'd been with anyone, and she felt even better than he imagined. Marinette's legs wrapped tightly around his waist, holding him to her the only way she could with her hands restrained and he had to stop for a moment, burying his face in her neck as the emotion he'd been holding back with lust tried to take over again. 

As cliche as it sounded, even to his own mind, in that moment, surrounded completely by her, he had an even deeper sensation of coming home.

She whined underneath him, her hips bucking against him, impatient. " _Please._ " He groaned again, nipping her shoulder in his teeth before giving in. 

It wasn't long before he followed her over the edge of her second orgasm, a kind of euphoria he'd never felt before as he swallowed up her cries with kisses. Collapsing on top of her while he caught his breath, he eventually managed to pull himself out of bed long enough to clean them both up and release her wrists from the cuffs. Rubbing feeling back into them and placing a kiss on each, he asked, "Are you ok?"

She mumbled incoherently, nodding as he turned them on their side, tucking her in next to him. "Better than ok," he heard her say after a moment. 

"Well, I do my best," he teased, earning him a tired giggle. 

She sighed, snuggling in closer. "So that's what I was missing all this time..." she said quietly before dozing off to sleep, completely unaware of the state she had left him in. 

He stared at the ceiling for hours until she woke up again, ready for another round. By then he was too weak to say no, but he took his time on the second go, making love to her as she had requested earlier in the evening. The way he'd always wanted to. When he rolled over the next morning to find his bed empty and no trace of her except for the scent lingering on his pillow, a new kind of self loathing settled in. The first thing he did, even before making coffee or taking a shower, was call Dr Laurent to schedule an appt as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mostly (read: entirely) self indulgent because I haven't written a proper smutty chapter yet. And I know this was all from Adrien's perspective, in the next chapter, we'll see more of the aftermath, on both sides, and some more plot. Promise!


	14. I give and I give and you take

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meh, I had planned on posting this like a week ago but halfway through my first draft I decided I didn't like the direction and started over.
> 
> Then life happened... gotta love the holidays lol
> 
> Anyways enjoy!

_Too hot._

Marinette groaned, feeling a light sheen of sweat on her back. Why was it so hot? She knew she had a habit of burrowing deep under the covers when she slept, but it was the beginning of February, it shouldn't be this hot. 

It took a moment for the fog of sleep to dissipate, at which point she realized, the warmth she felt wasn't coming from her duvet, but rather a body, a very naked body, pressed against her back. All at once, her memories from the previous night returned.  _Holy hell. What was I thinking!?_  She froze when Adrien mumbled in his sleep, his arm tightening around her waist. 

Panic started to set in as her eyes flew open, darting around for an escape. She carefully pried his arm off of her, and slipped out from underneath it. He groaned in protest, reaching for her, but thankfully didn't wake as she slipped a pillow under his arm instead. She watched in amusement as he hugged the pillow to his chest, and resettled. Who knew he was such a cuddler?

For a long moment she stood there, looking down at him, his lips parted, and his hair adorably mused from sleep. He looked more like Chat Noir than himself in that moment. She felt herself smiling before she shook herself out of her daze. Panic returned when she realized she was still in Adrien's bedroom, naked. She needed to get out of here. Now. 

Scrambling around for her clothes, she managed to find them scattered about the floor where she had thrown them. She blushed when she remembered just how that had come about, stripping down in front of Adrien, blindfolded. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really even gotten a good look at him. She'd been blindfolded the first time, and the second, their bodies were glued so tightly together, the most she saw was the curve of his shoulders, and the top of his chest. Not that she hadn't ever seen more in some of his magazine spreads, but she had a feeling that the pictures didn't quite do him justice. She was tempted now to take a peek, but couldn't bring herself to look back at him, let alone peel away the sheets for a better look.

Pulling her clothes on hastily, she tiptoed out of his room and down to the game room they'd been in the previous night. There she found her boots and purse. "Tikki!" she hissed. No reply.

Moving as quietly as she could through the house, she kept repeating her kwami's name until she found her, curled up on top of some dish towels in the kitchen with Plagg. "Tikki! Come on, let's go!"

"Marinette?" she asked sleepily, lifting her head. 

Plagg cracked one bright green eye open. "Where's Adrien?"

"Still sleeping. Come on Tikki, we gotta go."

"You didn't wake him?" Plagg asked, frowning. 

"I didn't want to disturb him. Tikki please!" a note of desperation entered her voice as she pleaded with her kwami. It felt like the walls were pressing in on her. She had to get out of this house. 

The tiny gods exchanged glances before Plagg reluctantly released his hold of Tikki and she hid herself in her chosen's purse. "Thank you. See you later Plagg!" Marinette called as she dashed out of the kitchen towards the front door. 

It wasn't until she was several blocks away that Marinette stopped to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. She'd been running blindly, in an attempt to get as far away from the mansion as quickly as she could and had naturally run in the opposite direction of her apartment. Clenching her jaw, she turned up a side street before making her way back in the correct direction to avoid passing by the house again. 

It was still rather early in the morning, the sun was still rising, and only a small portion of the city appeared to be awake already. She knew if she passed by her parents bakery, they would already be up and working. She altered her course, heading in that direction, and let herself in through the side door. 

"Marinette? Is that you?" Sabine poked her head out of the kitchen when Marinette entered the apartment. "You're up early, you didn't tell us you were coming to visit."

"I was in the neighborhood, figured I'd stop in. Need help?"

Sabine frowned, knowing Marinette's apartment was several blocks away and her daughter wasn't exactly known for an early riser. She didn't comment however, instead nodded and stepped back into the kitchen. "I was just finishing up breakfast for your father if you wouldn't mind running it down to him?"

"Sure."

Sabine watched her daughter closely for the rest of the morning until she had to join her husband in the bakery. Marinette was unusually quiet. Sabine knew something was bothering her, but sensed she wasn't ready to talk about it, so left her to her thoughts, telling her to relax because she looked exhausted and to stop by to say goodbye whenever she finally left. 

Marinette hid out in her old bedroom for the majority of the day, before finally deciding to go back home. She said goodbye to her parents who looked a bit concerned, and opted to hail a cab rather than walk home as it had begun to snow in the late afternoon. Stopping at a small shop around the corner of her house, she paid her fare and ducked inside, picking up a few things she had a craving for. 

When she finally reached her very empty and very cold apartment, she set about warming the place up and changing into her comfiest pjs. Pulling out her phone from her purse, she realized it must've died at some point during the day, though she hadn't noticed as she'd been ignoring it. Plugging it in to charge she checked on it after a few minutes when it had pulled up and found several missed calls and texts from Emil, Alya and Nino. Even Chloe had tried to check in with her later in the day, presumably after no one else had been successful in reaching her. There was nothing from Adrien however. 

Wether she was glad of this or not, she couldn't decide. 

Popping in a sappy romantic movie, she settled on the couch, her purchases spread out on the coffee table before her. About half way through the film, she was startled when Alya sat down next to her, watching her carefully. "Hey girl..."

Marinette set her spoon back in the container of ice cream and reached for a tissue to wipe her face and blow her nose. "Hey," she said miserably. 

Alya cringed, as Marinette stuffed another spoonful of triple fudge ice cream into her mouth. "Wanna talk about it?"

Marinette shook her head and sniffled. 

"Mari please. Something's been going on with you for a while, I've tried to give you your space, figuring you'd tell me eventually. You spoke a little yesterday but obviously something's happened between now and then. It's not like you to shirk your responsibilities. No one's been able to get in touch with you all day. Finally I called your parents and your mom said you'd shown up there early this morning and didn't leave until a little while ago."

Marinette continued to sniffle but didn't speak, taking a swig of wine straight from the bottle in front of her. 

"Talk to me, please," Alya begged, running a hand over her friend's hair. "Is it about Luka? I can't say I'm entirely convinced you're ok with seeing him with Kagami, even if you are over him. It's never easy seeing someone you care about with someone else."

Marinette shook her head, reaching for the bag of gummy worms and ripping one in half with her teeth. Alya wondered how she hadn't made herself sick already with all of that sugar. Pursing her lips, she tried again. "Is it Adrien?" Marinette flinched and Alya knew she'd caught the thread. She started pulling on it. "Is this about what we talked about yesterday? Do you have feelings for him again?"

Marinette swallowed. "I fucked up," she moaned quietly. 

"What do you mean?" She remembered then that they were supposed to be on patrol last night. "Did something happen?" 

Marinette nodded, biting into another gummy. 

Alya bit back a sigh, trying to keep her patience in check as she pulled the story out of her friend. "Did you two talk?"

"Not exactly."

Alya watched as Marinette's cheeks flooded with color.  _Interesting._ "Did you... kiss him?" she ventured.

Marinette winced and ducked her head. 

 _Oh shit._ Alya had a feeling she knew where this was going but asked for confirmation nonetheless. "Did you do more than that?"

Marinette nodded, scooping up another bite of ice cream.

"You slept with him didn't you?"

"Yes!" she wailed, shoving the spoon in her mouth. 

"Oh brother," Alya muttered to herself. "So... how was it?"

"Bephmemehmumberhab,"

"Sorry, mumble that again?"

Marinette dropped her spoon again, covering her face with her hands. "It was the best sex I ever had, OK!" 

Alya wasn't entirely successful in smothering her laugh. Marinette glared at her. "Don't you dare repeat that. His ego doesn't need anymore stroking."

"Scout's honor," Says saluted as Trix snickered over her shoulder before being pulled away by Tikki. "Ok, I gotta hear this now. What the hell happened? Start at the beginning."

Marinette took another swig of wine and a deep breath before diving in.

* * *

Silence reigned for what felt like several minutes but was probably only just a few seconds as Adrien stared at the ceiling after divulging the previous nights events to Dr Laurent. Saying it out loud hadn't made him feel much better as he had hoped it might. In fact, in the light of day, he felt even worse about it. How could he have let this happen? She said it wouldn't change anything between them, but they both knew that had been a lie, of course it would change things. How could it not?

She'd wanted 15 years of repressed fantasies, and he'd given it to her. Instead of satisfying him, it made him crave her more. But of course, that wasn't what she wanted. She had made that very clear when she disappeared without a trace that morning. After all this time, his lady still didn't want him. It hurt more than he thought it would, a constant ache in his chest when he remembered how she felt in his arms. The way her lips tasted, the way her body fit around his, the way she felt.... 

He'd made a mistake taking her up on her offer. He'd known it the minute he'd accepted yet he did nothing to stop himself. He could pretend all he wanted that his feeble attempts at getting her to back out was him 'trying' but it would be a lie. He hadn't tried at all, he'd given in, and had undoubtedly set himself back. Why couldn't they have waited? Hawkmoth may be gone, but they still had this mysterious shooter to deal with and the last thing their recovering partnership needed was another distraction. Especially one as monumental as this. 

"Partnership?"

Adrien hadn't realized he'd still been speaking out loud. It was easy to do whenever he was here. Loose himself in his thoughts and forget that he wasn't alone. More than once he'd almost revealed Ladybug's identity when thinking aloud. This time, he wasn't sure he'd be able to smooth it over quite so easily. "Uh...."

"It's alright," Dr Laurent rushed to say, apparently recovered from his surprise. "We're just.... speaking in hypotheticals yes?"

Adrien sighed in relief, the good doctor was giving him an out, one he would gladly take. "Right of course. I mean, my lady needs me in top shape if we're going to take on such a dangerous opponent. Being distracted by thoughts about... my friend, wouldn't be very helpful. Which is why I came to see you so quickly. So, hopefully I can get this off of my chest and clear my head."

"Of course..."

For a moment the only sound in the room was the ticking of a clock and Plagg's light snoring from where he napped in Adrien's coat pocket. 

"So..." the doctor continued. "You spent the night with... your friend. And... you're regretting it?"

"No," Adrien said emphatically before amending his statement. "Well, not entirely. I've been imagining it for so long, I can't really bring myself to regret it. I still feel it was a mistake though. At least, at this point in time. We've come a long way since I returned home, but I'm not sure our relationship has progressed enough yet to really handle this. We needed more time.  _She_ needed more time."

"Because of her fiancé?"

"Ex-fiance. But yes, partly because of that, and partly because I'm still not sure she entirely trusts me yet either. I think she still just sees me as the playboy the media has made me out to be.... the one I have been for the last several years."

"But that's not who you are anymore. And you don't think she believes that?"

"No. Not yet at least." Adrien dragged a hand over his face. "Especially not after the gala."

"When she had the run in with your former lover?"

Adrien scoffed. "I'd hardly called Annabelle a former lover. We were only together for one night. An hour at most, if I'm honest. I barely know her. But, yes. That was rather unfortunate. Never mind the fact that I hadn't been with anyone since her. Marinette didn't know that. All she knew was she had proof that the rumors about me were true. She probably thinks I just saw her as another conquest, which of course couldn't be farther from the truth. I want her, sure. But I don't just want her body, I want all of her. Something she's not willing to give me."

"Not now."

"Probably not ever. I really hurt her when I left. I've since learned that she did have feelings for me when we were younger. I can only imagine how that felt for a 17 year old girl, to be abandoned by the boy she loved. One she had considered a close friend. Why should she give me another chance?"

"Why then would she want to be with you last night?"

"For the same reason I took her up on her offer. We'd dreamed about it for so long. It was just... satisfying an itch. For lack of a better analogy." 

"You think that's all it was?"

"What else could it be? Lord only knows what kinds of things she's heard about me over the years. I'm sure she thinks me the worse sort of libertine, even if she'd never admit to my face. As far as she knows, I've never taken love or relationships seriously. As far as she knows, I was just using her."

"Can you not show her differently?"

"How?!"

"By doing what you've been doing. Continuing to be there for her. Continuing to be her friend."

Adrien cringed. He was dreading having to see her again though he knew it was inevitable. They still had to patrol together, and with Adrien's only friends being her friends as well, he wouldn't be able to avoid her for long. 

"It will be awkward at first, no doubt. I have found however, that usually, it's only as awkward as you allow it to be."

Adrien frowned, still not understanding.

"I'm not suggesting you pretend you're not affected. That wouldn't be truthful. However, you can still show her that you don't think less of her for it. That you still desire to be close to her. I daresay it would go a long way towards preserving your friendship, possibly even strengthen it."

Adrien chewed his lip, considering. 

"I can't tell you that things will ever work out between the two of you as you hope. I know nothing of this woman and her feelings beyond what you have told me. All I can do, is tell you how you can go forward. If you're determined to keep her in your life, in any capacity, you have to be able to swallow the pain you're feeling right now, and work for it. Eventually, it would be wise for the two of you to discuss what occurred. But give it time."

When Adrien finally left Dr Laurent's office that afternoon, snow had started to fall. He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, head tilted up towards the sky as he felt the tiny flakes of ice touch his face. Cold as it was, it was oddly refreshing, and Adrien slowly began to feel more like himself than he had all day. Deciding to take a stroll, he waved off his driver and made his way home on foot.

Once back in the warmth of his room, Adrien sat down at the piano, as had become his habit over the last few months when he needed to clear his mind and think. His fingers moved over the keys, playing nothing in particular, just the melody that seemed to come from his heart. It was somehow both melancholy and hopeful at the same time. Adrien allowed himself to relax into the feel of the music, breathing deeply and closing his eyes.

Things would undoubtedly be rough for a while, but he would get through it.

All would be well.

* * *

When Marinette finally finished her story, the ice cream in her lap had started to turn to soup and the end credits of the movie were rolling across the screen. She turned to face Alya, who she had been avoiding looking at as she spoke, afraid she would lose her nerve if she did, to find her friend gaping at her with a slightly scandalized expression. She winced. "Sorry, TMI?"

Alya blinked a few times before a devilish grin broke out across her face. "Oh my god! Adrien's a Dom?! You've got to be kidding me. I didn't know that boy had it in him!"

Marinette huffed. "Seriously? Is that really all you took from all that?"

Alya laughed. "Sorry, I just- wow. I didn't see that coming. Damn girl. Spicy!"

"Alya!"

"Ok, ok! Sorry." Alya held her hands up in surrender as Marinette whacked her with a throw pillow. "Don't hit the pregnant girl!"

"Can you please be serious for one minute here? I'm having a crisis!"

"You're right," she said, sobering. "I'm sorry."

Marinette set the pillow aside again, moving the melted ice cream from her lap to the coffee table and curled up on the couch, pulling a blanket around herself protectively. Alya reached for the wine bottle before remembering she couldn't drink any and retracted her hand. She turned to face Marinette as well, pulling a second blanket over her lap. Steepling her fingers in front of her mouth, she stared at her friend for a beat before speaking.

"You're still in love with him."

"Yes," Marinette said quietly, glancing away.

"And you just figured this out...."

"This morning." She massaged her temples. "I panicked when I woke up this morning, and in typical Marinette fashion, I booked it out of there before he woke up."

"You didn't leave a note, or text or anything?"

"Ugh, no. It's not like I know proper hook-up etiquette. Luka's the only guy I've been with and there was never a need to leave like that."

"There still wasn't a need to leave like that. You and Adrien are adults. More than that, you're partners. You should be able to talk about things like this."

"Are you kidding? I can't talk to him about this!" Marinette's eyes widened and Alya saw she was ready to spiral into another panic. Reaching out, she laid a hand on her shoulder. 

"Yes, you can. It might be a bit embarrassing sure, but I promise you it's less awkward that avoidance."

"How would you know? You and Nino never went through something like this."

Alya snorted. "Do you not remember when we first got together?"

"You mean after I looked you two in a panther cage when Animan attacked?"

Alya grinned. "Yeah. Nino and I used to butt heads all the time. Still do from time to time. At first, we wouldn't even look at each other, which made for a very uncomfortable hour or so until we finally started talking. Once we got past the awkward, "I'm not really in love with you, I said that cuz I panicked" moment, we were able to laugh it off and really get to know each other. If we hadn't had that conversation, we probably would've just kept avoiding each other and we wouldn't be where we are now."

"Maybe," Marinette conceded. "But that's still very different from the situation between me an Adrien. I mean, what am I supposed to say? Sorry, I totally lied the other night. I'm not cool with just one night, and I can't pretend that nothing happened, because in reality, I've been in love with you since we were 14, and even though I'm still a bit hurt and angry at you for leaving, I don't just want to be friends, and I know you don't really do relationships, and you've probably never seen me that way before, but we just had the most mind-blowing sex, and I'm not really ready to give that up and-"

"Mari! Breathe hun. I'm not even sure you put a period in that sentence...." Alya held her laughter back as Marinette took a comically large breath. 

"Ok, so maybe don't quite put it that way. Ease into it. You can start by saying you think you should address what happened because you're aware that things are different between you now, despite what you said. I'm sure he felt it too. In fact, I guarantee he did. From what you said of that second time... and the way he kept asking if you were ok with it, I don't think he's as unaffected as you think he is." Alya knew for a fact that he wouldn't be, based on what she had heard from Nino, but she wouldn't say that to Marinette. That was something she needed to hear from him directly.

"It might be a good idea to tell him that you're still unsure how you feel about him and your relationship. Go easy on him though, I know he still feels guilty, and I'm sure he'd be willing to do whatever you needed him to to help fix things between you. Whatever your past, he's till your partner, and he cares about you. Don't forget that."

Marinette thought it over for a minute before shaking her head and pulling the blanket up over her head. "I can't do it Alya," she said, her voice muffled by the blanket. "It's too humiliating."

"You can't avoid the subject forever Mari. You don't have to talk about it right away if you don't want to, but eventually you should. Your whole dynamic with him is going to change after this, and with everything going on with the shooter, you two really need to be more in sync."

In reply, Marinette groaned, and flopped over into Alya's lap, where her friend sighed and rubbed her back soothingly. "It'll be alright girl. You'll see."

* * *

 

A few nights after ' **that** night', Ladybug and Chat Noir met up again for patrol. Chat had arrived early and was leaning casually against the roof access door of the building when Ladybug arrived. He greeted her with his usual grin, baton twirling idly in one hand. "Good evening my lady."

He wasn't entirely surprised when she didn't smile back, greeting him with a perfunctory "Chat." She waisted no time getting to business as soon as they were together. "You ready? Let's go." Without waiting for his reply, she cast out her yo-yo  and took off  across the city. Chat sighed but followed dutifully. 

They worked they're way through the city in silence for nearly half an hour before Chat attempted to break the ice. "How's your week been?"

"Busy."

"Lots of new orders?"

"Mmhmm."

"How's Emil doing? and your other new employee. What was her name? Rachel?"

"Raquel. They're both fine."

They lapsed into silence again for a few more minutes before he tried again. "It's a beautiful night. As much as I love the snow though, I'll be glad when it starts warming up again. This kitty is-"

"Chat Noir," Ladybug interrupted, coming to a halt so quickly he almost slammed into her. "We're meant to be patrolling the city, not chit chatting."

"Sorry," he said, his ears drooping slightly. "Was just trying to make conversation. You're not usually so quiet."

"Well perhaps we should be. We need to focus. This mad man has been on the lose for nearly four months now and we're no closer to finding him now than we were the first night."

"I'm sorry. We can split up if you want, cover more ground." He made the offer automatically, expecting her to decline as she usually did. So, when she instead said "Good idea," his ears drooped even more.

"I'll take the east side, you can take the west. Call if you find anything." Once again, she took off without waiting for his response, leaving him standing on a rooftop, looking rather pathetic and sad. 

After a moment, he gathered himself and continued his patrol through the section of the city she had assigned to him. Nothing of note happened, and when he was finished, he returned to the spot they had met up to debrief. Only, she never showed. After waiting for a quarter of an hour, he tried to call her, only to find she must've already gone home and detransformed. Feeling dejected, Chat took another short lap around the city before heading home.

* * *

 

Patrols for the next few weeks continued in much the same pattern. Ladybug was distant, and cool, they split up to patrol their own sections of the city, and only met up if something was going on. Eventually, Chat gave up trying to talk to her at all. The gunman hadn't shown his face in over a month and Ladybug was beginning to wonder if perhaps, he'd moved on, but insisted they continue their patrols anyways, just in case.

Things were even worse in their civilian lives. Adrien and Marinette still hung out with the group, but there was a notable chill between them that anyone would have been blind not to see. At first, they group just rolled with it, thinking they would work out their differences eventually as they always did, but after a while, everyone started becoming worried. Ironically, it was Chloe who spoke up first.

"Oh for goodness sake!" she exclaimed one night over dinner at the Grand Paris. "I don't know what's going on with you two but I'm so sick of the tension! Just kiss or fight or fuck or whatever you need to do and move on already. You're totally killing the mood."

"Chloe," Alya hissed in warning, as Nino and Nathaniel tensed in their seats, eyes darting between the pair in question who sat on opposite end of the table from one another.

Adrien and Marinette both visibly flushed as Chloe's outburst, looking away from the table, and Chloe's expression quickly morphed from annoyance to interest. "Ooooh. I see. So when did this happen? It must've been disappointing if you're both this upset about it."

" _Chloe_ ," Alya warned again, attempting to kick her under the table. The heiress simply shifted her feet  to the side and continued to watch her teammates reactions. 

"Tell me Mari, is he as good as everyone says he is? I've always wondered." Nathaniel threw her an offended look which she ignored.

"I think we both satisfied out  _curiosity_ ," Marinette said cooly, still refusing to look at anyone.

Adrien, on the other hand, whipped his head around to stare at her through narrowed eyes with a look that was somewhere between a anger and offense. Pain flaked over his features before he stood abruptly, throwing down his napkin and marching away from the table. That finally caught Marinette's attention who turned to watch him leave before eventually storming off after him.

A moment later, Chat Noir could be seen passing by the upper windows, followed shortly after by Ladybug. 

Chloe sat back in her seat with a self satisfied smirk.

"Are you happy now?" Alya snapped, crossing her arms over her swollen belly. 

Chloe shrugged. "What? They needed to talk, now perhaps they finally will.  _You're welcome._ "

* * *

 

Ladybug raced across rooftops attempting to catch her partner who was moving faster than usual. 

"Chat!" she called out over the wind. Thunder rumbled softly overhead and Ladybug knew they were due for a spring shower any minute now. 

"Chat!" she called again. This time he stopped, halting on the ledge of a building he had been about to leap off of. She landed behind him, stopping on the other side of the roof, resting her hands on her knees as she panted. It annoyed her to note that he didn't seem the least bit winded. Clearly she needed to start working out more. 

"We need to talk," she said.

Chat spun around, green eyes glowing bright. "Now you want to talk?" he said incredulously. "It's been a month, and you have barely said a civil word to me, no matter how much times I tried, even just to make small talk. And now that I'm sure we've both made a scene, leaving in the middle of dinner, now you want to talk? _Now?_ "

He was practically shouting by the end, having unconsciously taken a few menacing steps forward. His hurt and anger were written plainly on his face, as his feeling soften were when he wore the mask (ironic that), and Ladybug felt guilty for having pushed him away for so long. Clearly, Alya had been correct. He'd been more affected by that night than she had given him credit for. 

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I-" something slammed into her chest, stealing her breath away. She gasped, staring at Chat with wide eyes, unable to determine what had just happened, and then she was falling, backwards over the edge of the roof.

She heard Chat screaming, and watched him dive off the roof, reaching for her as she fell. He managed to snatch her by the wrist, extending his baton between the two closets buildings and bringing them to a stop, a few inches before she would've hit the ground. He grunted as he pulled her up, telling her to grab ahold of him. She couldn't move her left arm, but wrapped her legs around his waist and did her best hold on as he jumped the last few feet to the ground. 

He knelt down, laying her out on the ground as he inspected her, his heart plummeting when he saw the wound in her chest, just above her heart. "My lady. LB, look at me," he commanded, and her gaze slid to his face. 

"Chat," she wheezed. "I can't- I can't-"

"It's alright, just hold on. We'll get you taken care of." He scooped her up in his arms, and started running towards the nearest clinic. They caused a commotion when Chat burst through the door, calling for help. Ladybug was struggling for breath, shivering in his arms. He could feel her temperature dropping from the loss of blood, her skin looking ghastly pale. 

"Please! I need help!" A team of nurses surged forward, gasping when they saw the blood staining their protectors suit. A middle aged woman in a white coat came forward, presumably the doctor, and gestured for Chat to follow her.

"This way. Quickly."

She lead them to an empty exam room, where Chat laid his partner out on the table. Nurses rushed about checking her vitals and grabbing towels and bandages. Ladybug's earrings beeped and everyone froze. Chat's eyes widened as he looked at the doctor. After a beat she pointed at two of her staff. "You and you, stay. Everyone else out."

It was clear they were all curious to learn more about the girl behind the mask, but the doctor spoke with such authority, no one dared question her. In a few seconds, they room was cleared except for those she'd selected, one of whom hurried to cover the window  in the exam door and lock it. A minute later, the magic slipped away and Chat reached out to catch and exhausted Tikki as she appeared. 

One of the nurses gasped. "Is that-"

"Tom and Sabine's daughter," the doctor said, looking a little shaken. "Yes it is." She looked up at Chat who was watching anxiously, one hand clutched around Marinette's. "She was my patient when she was a little girl. I take it you two are already aware of each other's identities?"

"Yes," he rasped.

Tikki clung to his finger, watching her chosen through teary eyes. "The miraculous can heal her, but it takes time. My powers could help too but my energy is too depleted from trying to keep her alive on the way here."

"We'll take care of her I promise," The doctor said, as one of the nurses gently pulled him away. 

He stood in the corner, trying not to get in their way, his heart in his throat. Marinette had lost consciousness shortly before they had arrived, and she'd lost an alarming amount of blood. The doctor and nurses worked quickly, removing the bullet and checking for other damage as they stitched her back up. "She'll need a blood transfusion," the doctor said, looking at him. "What's your blood type? We don't keep any in stock here. We don't typically perform surgery here, this is just a normal clinic."

Chat shook his head helplessly, "I have no idea."

"We can test is quickly if you want to find out?"

He nodded quickly, stepping forward.

"I'm going to need access to your arm."

He carefully set Tikki aside on the counter, unzipping his suit and pulling him arm from the sleeve. He noticed the women blush at the sight of his chest, but they maintained their professional demeanor. His finger was pricked and a quick sample taken before he was declared a match, then there was a scramble to find the proper equipment they would need for the transfusion. They eventually managed to rig together some tubing that would suffice, and Chat sat by his lady's side as he gave her the blood she needed to recover.

Just when he started to feel a bit lightheaded, the doctor declared she'd had enough and unhooked them both, quickly bandaging their arms. Marinette's vitals were checked again, and the doctor nodded satisfactorily. "She will be alright, her miraculous already seems to be taking over healing her. She may be unconscious for a while longer though. It's probably best if you get her home, she needs to rest."

"Thank you," Chat said, pulling the doctor into a hug. He wasn't sure when he'd started crying, but he had to wipe his cheeks a few times as he hugged the two nurses as well. "Thank you so much."

"After everything the two of you have done for this city, it is our pleasure Chat Noir. And don't worry, her secret is safe with us. Doctor patient confidentiality," she winked at him with a small smile.

Chat glanced at Tikki then at MArinette and realized she wouldn't be able to transform back. "Um, would you-"

The doctor seemed to have read his mind, walking over to the cabinets on the wall and returning with a blanket. She and the nurses carefully wrapped Marinette up in it, and placed a mask over her mouth to disguise her face. "It's not perfect," she shrugged apologetically. "But it should be enough to get her out of her unrecognized.

"Thank you again. I know she would be very grateful for all that you've done."

"Again, it was our pleasure Chat Noir. Now go on. By now word would've gotten out that you were here, there are probably news crews outside. I'll show you the rear entrance."

She unlocked the door and peered down the hall before waving them out. Tikki snuggled into the blanket with her chosen and Chat carried them both out of the building and into the alley behind. 

"You take care of her."

"I will," Chat promised as he nodded to the women again and extended his staff carrying him and his partner away.

 

 


	15. Take it all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy early Christmas! x

Adrien sat anxiously by his bedside, Marinette's hand clutched in his own, pressed to his lips and praying to no one in particular. He knew she would be fine, he'd already seen the signs her body was recovering, but he couldn't quite shake the image of her lying in his arms, pale and lifeless. He never wanted to see that again. Whatever was going on, whoever this shooter was, they needed to end this. Soon.

A low groan interrupted his thoughts, and his eyes flew open to find Marinette attempting to sit up. He reached out, gently pushing her back down. "It's ok. You're alright."

"Chat?" she whispered hoarsely.

"I'm here my lady. You're fine. We got you fixed up, your miraculous healing is working, you just need to rest." She blinked a few times as if processing his words before nodding and settling down again. "Do you need anything? Water? Something for the pain?"

"Water," she rasped.

He rushed over to the mini fridge and returned with a bottle of water, holding her head as he helped her sip. Once she was satisfied, he laid her back down, setting the bottle aside. "Rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

He stroked her cheek, brushing her bangs from her face, until her breathing evened out again. His phone buzzed insistently as several concerned texts rolled in from Alya. She must've seen the news about Chat Noir and Ladybug crashing into the clinic. He responded quickly to let her know Marinette was alright. Telling her he had taken her home and she was resting, promising to have her call her when she woke up. Turning his phone off and setting it aside, his gaze returned to his sleeping partner.

After a few moments, the anxiety drained away, and the pain and anger he'd felt earlier returned. He shot up from his seat, pacing restlessly. Eventually, he stopped in the middle of the room, dropping to the ground as he began counting out push-ups.  _one...two...three..._

He continued until his muscles were screaming and his arms shook before rolling over onto his back, bending his knees, and began rolling his body upwards.  _one...two...three..._  

He continued on in this way until he was dripping sweat and nearly every muscle in his body was aching. Marinette was still sound asleep so he chanced a quick shower, stripping out of the dress clothes he was still wearing from dinner, and scrubbing himself raw in the steaming shower. When he was finished, he stepped out, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and draping a towel over his shoulders. 

He still felt restless and so resorted to his new favorite form of therapy. His fingers slid over the keys before he began playing, channeling his thoughts and emotions into the sound. It didn't take long before the world around him melted away, and all that remained was the music.

 

Marinette woke to the deep, resonating chords of a piano. The tune was melancholy, heart wrenching. Carefully sitting up, she checked under her bandages, rolling her shoulder experimentally. The scars under her stitches had nearly disappeared and there was only a dull ache when she moved. Satisfied with her recovery, she turned her attention to the musician across the room.

She knew Adrien played of course, but she hadn't heard him do so since they were kids. She watched him, mesmerized by the way he looked in the early dawn hours. The little signs of exhaustion on his face suggested he hadn't slept, but he didn't appear tired, his expression faraway as his fingers moved over the keys. There was no sheet music, so she assumed he was playing by feel. A skill she had always admired in him. He was a naturally gifted musician, much like Luka. It seemed she had a thing for that. 

She carefully slid out of bed, only then realizing he must have changed her out of her clothes at some point as she was only wearing a large t-shirt that ended high on her thighs. A strange  feeling washed over her as she caught his scent in the fabric. It was comforting, and she inhaled deeply for a moment, breathing it in. Raising her head back to Adrien, she could more easily read the emotions simmering under the surface that he was pouring into the song. 

Her kitty was hurting, and it was her doing. She knew that now. Alya had been right, avoidance was not the best strategy. She had promised him nothing would change, and then she had pushed him away at every turn. She was almost surprised he still wanted to work with her. 

Unconsciously, she had begun approaching him and when she was only a few feet away, he finally sensed her presence as the music ended abruptly. She froze when his head swung in her direction, his green eyes piercing as a slight frown marred his beautiful features. For a moment, they simply stared at one another, neither saying a thing. Adrien blinked first, swallowing hard.

"How are you feeling?"

"Great!" she squeaked. "I mean, good. I'm fine. B-better..."

He stared at her, expression unchanged as she rambled. Taking a deep breath, she spoke again. 

"Thank you-"  _for saving me. For staying with me. For not leaving me._ There were a lot of things she needed to say, but she suddenly was unable to say any of them with his intense gaze boring into her.

He continued silently staring at her. He seemed to be waiting for something, and when she didn't say anything else, he spoke up again, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Not interested in talking anymore?"

She winced, bowing her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" she sighed, looking shyly up at him. "I owe you an apology... and an explanation."

"That would be appreciated."

She bit her lip to keep from wincing again. She deserved his anger. He was her partner, and at one time, he had been her best friend. They should be able to talk about any and everything. 

"What did I do wrong?" he asked. His frown softened, and he looked suddenly sad. Her heart tugged painfully at his expression, and she took another step forward.

"Nothing. You did nothing wrong." She was standing close enough to touch him now and on instinct, she reached out, brushing her fingertips over his cheek. His eyelids fluttered as his head tilted to follow her touch.

She felt a pull, deep inside her, drawing her even closer. He reached for her, his hand sliding around her waist as she stepped to his side. Her fingers ran through his hair as he closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against her stomach. She found it easier to speak with out his intense gaze on her, and her words began flowing freely, her mouth once again moving ahead of her mind. 

"I'm sorry, I got wrapped in my own head, it wasn't your fault. I promised you something I couldn't deliver on. I thought I could handle it. I thought I cold give you what you wanted, but casual relationships were never something I could wrap my head around, and you have never been anyone I could so easily dissociate my feelings with."

He stilled, but didn't speak, sensing she wasn't finished yet. 

"The truth is... I've loved you since I was 14. I thought I was over it, but the minute you crashed back into my life all those feelings returned with you. I tried to fight it but... I can't anymore. I'm tired."

He looked up at her then, his eyes searching. He scooted over as she sat down next to him. "Don't think I expect anything from you. I know relationships aren't your thing. I just- needed to tell you that. You deserved to know. It wasn't your fault I've been so distant. I'd gotten myself in deeper than I should have and I couldn't deal and I took it out on you, and for that I'm sorry."

She hadn't been looking at him as she spoke, but lifting her eyes to his face now, she was confused by his expression. It was the oddest mixture of hope and pain, with a hint of lingering anger. She couldn't interpret it, though she didn't have to wait long for an explanation. 

"Is that really what you think of me? That I'm incapable of something deeper than a one night stand? That I'm incapable of love?" He'd had his suspicions that she might feel that way, but it was different to hear it said out loud like that. 

Marinette flinched at the emotion in his voice and hurried to correct herself. "N-no! Of course not, I just-I-" She what? He was right. That was exactly what she had thought. Looking at him now though, she knew it wasn't true. Alya's words echoed in her mind.  _The one thing Adrien had always craved, was the one thing he was always lacking...Affection._

She was an idiot. Things were suddenly a lot clearer. Adrien hadn't had so many casual relationships because he didn't desire more. He'd had them because it was the only kind of affection he could find. It had never been satisfying enough; that much was obvious by his jaded view of the world. She remembered the night they were together, the way he'd seemed to cling to her, reveling in every touch and every kiss. The way he held her close, and the way he reached for her when she moved away. 

Now that she thought about it, he had always been that way with her, especially when they were younger. Anytime she praised him for a job well done, even when she teased him. He basked in every touch and compliment and smile she gave him. In and out of the mask.  _Oh my God._ How had she been so blind?

She hadn't realized she was crying until Adrien's hands were cupping her face, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. His features had softened, concern clear in the way his brows pushed together. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I should never have thought so little of you. I-"

He shushed her. "It's ok. You wouldn't be the first. Few people seem to understand that sometimes those surrounded by the most people are the loneliest. Besides, you weren't entirely wrong. I've never wanted a relationship with one anyone before. Anyone except you, and I've always wanted you, since the first time I met you."

She sniffled, remembering all the times Chat Noir had expressed his adoration. She'd never taken him seriously then. "You wanted Ladybug, not me."

"You  **are** Ladybug. I may not have been able to see it back then, not at first, but it's true. And it wasn't just Ladybug. It took me time to realize it, but I had feelings for _you_ too. I had just been unable to see them right away. I promise you though, It's always been you. With or without the mask."

His green eyes almost seemed to glow with their intensity as he continued, the passion that had alway burned under the surface leaking into his words. "I waited fifteen years to be with you the first time, and I'd wait another lifetime to be with you again. I'm sorry that I left you before. That is something I will never stop being sorry for, but I promise, I will  _always_ be here for you. In whatever capacity you allow, I will be there."

Adrien's eyes glittered in the dawning light and she realized he was on the verge of tears himself. She slid her hands up his arms, rested her hands over his where they still held her face. 

"Unfortunately, reading minds has never been one of my talents princess," he joked with a half smile. "Please, tell me what you want."

She rose up, moving to straddle his hips on the bench. Hands still holding his, she slid them down from her face and over her body to settle on her hips. His breath hitched at the feel of her curves under his palms, but his eyes never left hers, begging for a clear answer. For permission. So, she gave it to him. 

"You chaton. I want you."

Reaching behind his head, she pulled him to her. The moment their lips connected, something exploded between them. He groaned against her mouth, his hands digging into her skin, pressing her into him. She dragged her nails over his scalp, relishing the vibrations in his chest as he purred. Another time, she might have been amused with the cat tendencies he'd inherited from Plagg, right now though, they only served to fuel her desire.  _My kitty._

She must've spoken the words out loud, for he responded. "Yours." 

She shivered, arching her back into his when his hands dragged up her spine. "My lady."

"Yours."

* * *

By the time Marinette woke again, the sun had risen high in the sky. She turned over slowly to face Adrien who had been cuddled against her back. He shifted to accommodate their new position but didn't wake, no doubt exhausted from having stayed awake all night. He looked so peaceful in his sleep; his lips even seemed to be smiling. She brushed a lock of hair out of his face where it had fallen across his eyes, tracing her finger over the line of his jaw. 

He really was beautiful, unfairly so. For a moment, she marveled at the fact that this man loved her. He had said so over and over the night before as he worshipped her body in a way it had never been before. 

"You're staring," he muttered sleepily.

She giggled. "Sorry. Can't help it."

He cracked one eye open, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Am I a pretty kitty my lady?"

"The prettiest," she grinned, kissing him. She could feel him smirk against her lips as he returned the kiss.

After a moment, he pulled away reluctantly. "You should probably talk to Alya. She was really worried about you. I promised her you'd call when you woke up."

Marinette grimaced. She could only imagine the state Alya was in. She had a tendency to get overly anxious at times. She hoped Nino had been able to keep her from getting too wound up. It wasn't good for the baby. 

She looked around for her phone before realizing she must've left it at the restaurant when she ran off along with her coat. Adrien must've read her thoughts for her reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his. Powering it on, he scanned his notifications before handing it to her. 

"Thanks," she said, pecking him lightly on the lips. He smiled, closing his eyes again and trailing his fingers up and down her back as she propped herself on one elbow beside him and held the phone to her ear. Alya answered on the first ring.

"Mari? Is that you?"

"It's me, I'm fine."

She could hear her deflate on the other side of the line. "Thank God. You had me scared to death. What happened?"

"Shooter caught us unaware." She felt Adrien's hand tighten around her waist as Alya cursed. 

"You're alright?"

"Chat had to take me to a doctor, but I'm completely healed now."

"Good," she sighed. "You need to catch that bastard ASAP."

"Agreed. We're gunna brainstorm more later, try and figure this out. It's been going on long enough."

"Mmhmm. You still at Adrien's?"

"Yeah, we just woke up."

" _We?"_ She could practically hear Alya's brain working from here. 

"Later," she promised, glancing at Adrien from the corner of her eye. His eyes were still closed, but she knew with his catlike senses he could hear their entire conversation. 

Alya snickered. "Ok girl, I'll let you go then. Have fun," she teased.

Marinette knew Adrien had heard, when his hands suddenly started wandering lower and she had to bite back a moan when his fingers brushed between her thighs. "Bye," she squeaked, hanging up the phone an tossing it aside. 

Adrien grinned, his eyes opening again, alight with mischief. 

"Tease," she said, tugging his hair. 

"You love it," he chuckled, rolling them over so he was on top of her. His hands caught her wrists, pinning them down over her head. She moaned, glancing up at the headboard where she had been bound the last time. Following her train of thought, Adrien's grin turned wicked. "Wanna play purrincess?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

An idea seemed to light his eyes, and his smiled widened. "Don't move," he said, kissing her hard. "I'll be right back."

He rolled out of bed and she watched him walk away, admiring the view. Her body was thrumming with anticipation, but she did her best to obey, laying exactly as he had left her. She heard him shuffling around in the closet for several minutes before a gasp left her when he emerged again. She couldn't help herself as she sat up for a better view. 

"What do you think?" he asked, tossing the black bag on the ground in front of him and turning in a little circle. He'd donned tight leather pants, a mask with cat ears, gloves with what appeared to be clawed fingertips, a collar with a little bell, and a belt was tied around his waist like a tail. "I had this made years ago on a whim, never worn it before."

Marinette's eyes raked over him, heat flooding her veins. Her mouth went dry and she didn't think she was capable of speech but her expression must've said enough as he smirked proudly. "I've got something for you too," he said, holding up a little red and black mask.

She pushed up on her hands and knees, crawling to the edge of the massive bed. Stopping at the edge, she sat up on her knees, waiting. He sauntered over, pulling the mask over her face.  A clawed fingertip pulled at her lower lip, causing her breath to shudder. 

"What are you words?"

"Yellow," she breathed.

"And?"

"Mercy."

"Good girl."

 


	16. The Circle of Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This is a short bit of fluff before we get into the serious stuff. The end is nigh!
> 
> That being said, I'm going to have to put this story on a short hiatus while I finish preparing for m CPA Exam at the end of February along with the rest of my currently open fics. If I happen to be struck my inspiration before then, you may get another chapter sooner than expected, but no promises.
> 
> For now though, enjoy this one and stay tuned!

Another day passed without Adrien or Marinette leaving Adrien's room. Their playtime was only interrupted when they were both so hungry they couldn't ignore their rumbling stomachs anymore, at which point, Adrien asked his housekeeper to send up an enormous tray full of food which they shared with their kwamis, still wrapped in Adrien's sheets and little else. 

They spent the day making love and giggling like children, talking about nothing in particular, but basking in each other's presence. Neither could remember the last time they'd been so happy, but today was Sunday, and tomorrow would be back to reality for both of them, though they were determined to make the most of the remaining few hours they had together. 

Adrien was woken from a nap when Marinette began kissing her way down his chest, heading further and further south. "My lady," he groaned, his eyes flying open as a sudden idea hit him. 

"What is it kitty?" she asked, sensing his thoughts. "What do you want?"

"Uh, well... I just was thinking... there's something I've always wanted to try..."

"Oh?" 

She'd stopped her progress southward, but her lips still lingered dangerously close to his hips, distracting him. "Um, could you-"

She smirked, sliding back up his body to lay beside him. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you. Not that I mind you- going there... at all. This is just a bit less-"

"Distracting?"

"Yes."

She giggled. "Go on kitty. You were trying to tell me something?"

"Right. So, I don't know if you'd be up for it, and I'd totally understand if you're not. It's definitely not a deal breaker or anything like that, I just thought I'd throw it out there just in case. I mean we don't have to try it anytime soon, or _ever_ even. Just-"

"Adrien," she giggled again, laying a finger over his lips. "You're sounding like me now. Spit it out."

He sighed, and squeezed his eyes shut. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in maybe... switching roles?"

"Huh?'

"You know. When we- _play_."

She didn't answer for a long moment and he finally opened eyes to see her watching him with wide eyes, mouth open in a perfect 'o'.

"You don't have to," he rushed to say. "It's just I've never tried it that way, and I've always been curious, but-"

"No, it's ok," she reassured him. "I get it, it's something you want to try and I want to help you I just- this is still so new to me, I'd have no idea where to even start."

He sat up slightly, propping himself on his elbow as he looked down at her. She hadn't said no outright, and that was enough for him. "I know. Like I said, I'm not like expecting to to jump right in. I understand completely if you want to take some time to research or whatever. We can do it together, that way I can tell you what I want to try and don't. Which reminds me, you and I really need to have a discussion about limits."

"Limits?"

"Yeah. For things you are and aren't willing to do when we play. Don't worry, I'm not that extreme, most of the things on the list will be pretty tame, and you don't have to do any or all of them right away, we can go slow, but it's still something we should discuss, for the future."

"Right," she blushed, wondering what else could be on the list they hadn't already tried. Then again, she was completely new to this world. She was sure there were a lot of things she had no idea about, but she liked the idea of them exploring them together. 

"Let's maybe table that discussion for another day, but I'll definitely try to keep an open mind. I promise."

Adrien smiled down at her, a look of pure trust and adoration on his face as he leaned in for a kiss. "Thank you."

It didn't take long before that innocent little kiss started to become more heated, but before they could get too far, Adrien's phone started buzzing across the nightstand. That was about the third time in the last twenty minutes by Marinette's count.

"Ignore it," she mumbled against his lips, trying to keep him distracted.

"We've been ignoring it all day," he chuckled. "What if it's important?"

"Ugh, fine."

He reached over for his phone and on seeing it was Nino, answered. "Hey man, what's up?"

Marinette watched as the lust in Adrien's expression abruptly disappeared, replaced by an alertness that had trying to hear the conversation.

"Oh shit. Ok. How is she? Is everything alright?"

Worry set Marinette's heart to racing. Was something wrong with Alya? The baby? Her fingers dug into Adrien's side, drawing his attention. He gave her a look full of surprise, but she could tell that nothing was wrong, and instantly relaxed.

"Ok, we'll see you soon!"

Hanging up the phone he grinned down at her. "Looks like little Desiree decided to come early."

"Alya's in labor?!"

"Yep, they just got to the hospital. He tried to call a couple times already. We should go if we want to be there in time. Come on!"

They jumped out of bed, running through the bathroom together for a quick shower before getting dressed. It wasn't until that moment that they both realized the only clothes Mari had was the ruined dress she had been wearing to dinner two nights ago. Adrien loaned her a long sleeve t-shirt and sweatpants, pulling on a similar ensemble. Her dress flats would have to do for shoes since Adrien definitely didn't have anything that would fit her tiny feet. Their kwamis hid in Adrien's coat as Marinette had left her purse at the restaurant along with her phone and coat, which she would eventually have to get back from Alya and Nino.

Nino and Alya had already asked both of them to act as Godparents and they were both buzzing with excitement as they rode in the back of Adrien's car en route to the hospital, holding each other's hand. They rushed into the waiting room together where Chloe and Nathaneal were already waiting. Chloe took one look at them, before giving them a knowing smirk. 

"About time you two showed up. All made up now are we?"

Adrien ignored her, looking to her husband. "How is she?"

"Last we heard, she was doing well. She's pretty far along, it shouldn't be much longer."

Adrien took a seat, pulling Marinette down to sit in his lap, and holding her close. She smiled, both at his possessiveness, and at the fact that his knee was still bouncing nervously.

"You ok, kitty?"

"Yeah. Just... it's exciting. We're having a baby."

Marinette giggled. " _We're_ not having a baby.  _Alya_ is."

"You know what I mean. Someone in our group is having a kid. It all feels very real now."

A thought struck Marinette and she wondered if now was the right time to bring it up. _Then again, when would be better?_

"Adrien," she waited for him to look at her again. "Do you want kids?"

The bouncing of his knee stopped suddenly. "Do you?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

Adrien's brows pulled together, looking uncertain. "With- me?"

She nodded and then her heart stopped when his face split in a radiant smile. 

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that my lady. To answer your question, yes. I do want kids. As many as you want."

She smiled, relaxing into him.  _He wanted a family._ Just like she did. If he meant it when he said he wouldn't leave her again, perhaps they'd be able to have the future she'd not been able to have with Luka. The one she was beginning to think she was meant to have with him all along.

Before she could answer, Nino burst through the door with a face splitting grin. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut again, shaking his head in wonder, laughing. "God, she's beautiful."

"Alya or the newest Lahiffe?" Chloe asked drily, though there was a tenderness to her features that Marinette had never seen before. 

"Both of them."

"Good man," Nathaneal laughed.

"Can we see them?" Marinette asked.

"In a minute. They're getting her all cleaned up an measured right now." He reached up, running a hand through his short hair. "I'm a father."

Adrien grinned, slapping Nino on the shoulder. "Yeah you are. Now come on, let me see my god-niece."

* * *

Desiree Michele Lahiffe was absolutely perfect.

Or so was the opinion of her proud parents and equally proud godparents. 

She screamed and wailed for several minutes before finally settling down in her exhausted mother's arms, but not a single person in that room would have said she was anything but a perfect little angel. 

"I guess now is as good a time as any to say we're expected also," Chloe announced as they watched the newborn sleep. Four heads whipped in her direction as she stood blushing and staring adoringly at her husband who's hand rested on her belly looking proud as can be. 

Everyone spoke at once.

"What!?"

"That's fantastic!"

"Congratulations!"

"I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks. We're really excited," she beamed, before she turned to Marinette with a more serious expression. "But- I was starting to wonder... Since we're starting families now, if maybe- it was time to hand our miraculous back over?"

Her words hung in the air for a long moment as the friends looked back and forth amongst themselves and their kwamis who sat in a pile at the foot of Alya's bed. "Uh... well..."

"I mean, don't get me wrong. I love Pollen, and I'm going to miss her, but I don't really need her anymore. Hawkmoth has been gone for almost twelve years now. Sure, there's the shooter, but you don't need a whole team for that. You and Adrien can handle them. If there were to be another threat to the city, surely there are- younger, more capable people than us, who don't have children to worry about that can step in?"

Marinette's heart sank at the thought of the team breaking up, but they hand't been active as a team for a few months now, and she had to admit Chloe had a point. Paris didn't really need them all anymore. The shooter would be dealt with soon enough and then... what? There were no other threats that the police couldn't handle. Maybe it was time?

Looking again to Nino and Alya, she saw the look they exchanged before looking down at their daughter. If another danger were to present itself, would they really be able to help? It was so different when they were teenagers. They had a lot more at stake now. A young life that depended on them. 

She looked to her partner, who wore a sad, sympathetic smile, before looking the tiny gods who watched her closely. She and Tikki had talked about the possibility that they would eventually need to give up their miraculous eventually, she just hadn't imagined it would be so soon. The kwamis each returned her gaze with a wise one of their own. She often forgot how old they all were. That they had seen many miraculous holders come in go in their lifetime and would undoubtedly see many more. 

She looked back to Chloe. "Is that what you want?"

"I mean, no not really, but I think it's the responsible thing to do."

 _Huh._ Chloe Bourgeois was talking to her about responsibility.  _Oh the irony._ They had come along way since lycée. 

"You're the guardian," Alya interjected. "It's not like we won't ever see our kwami again right?"

"Yeah. I suppose your'e right. I mean, I knew this day would come eventually. I guess I just pictured it would happen a lot later in life. Perhaps when we had children old enough to pass them on to ourselves. Though, I suppose that can still happen."

Marinette was on the verge of tears now, and Adrien, sensing that, wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his side. "We don't need to make any decisions now. We can talk about it later. In any case, even if the rest of the team isn't needed, Paris still needs you and I my lady. They're not done with their superheroes just yet."

"Goodness you all are such downers!" Plagg's voice interrupted them, drawing their attention to the pile of kwamis. "A baby, a new life, literally just arrived and you're talking about breaking up the team?"

"Seriously," Trixx grumbled beside him. "Tikki here is the God of creation. Can't we all just appreciate this precious little kit for right now? Leave all the depressing stuff for another time?"

The group laughed, gathering around Alya again to admire the sleeping infant in her arms. So calm and peaceful.

If only that peace would last.

 


	17. Calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo. Ok so it’s been a minute and I have to apologize. I said I’d be back after February and then life happened and to be completely honest, I wasn’t feeling all that inspired to write. 
> 
> The first little part of the opening scene for this chapter was a funny little anecdote I’ve had in my head for a while though and once I started writing this chapter started taking shape. 
> 
> So sorry again for making you wait so long for an update but enjoy!!

" _Fuuuuuck_. Oh God, yes. That feels so good. Don’t stop," Marinette moaned.

Adrien chuckled from his position lying next to her on the bed where he held a heating pad to her lower abdomen, applying just the right amount of pressure to provide her relief.

"My lady, if I'd known it was so simple to get such reactions from you, I would've done so years ago."

"Ugh, just shut up and don't stop what you're doing." 

Adrien grinned, kissing her cheek and snuggling closer. 

If you had told her fourteen year-old self that one day, Adrien Agreste would be practically waiting hand and foot on her while she dealt with one of her notoriously bad periods, she would've probably blushed head to toe and fainted on the spot. 

Yet, he'd been absolutely amazing this week, spending nearly all of his free time at her apartment. Offering treats and massages and all the cuddles she wanted. Drawing warm baths for her and cooking dinner (another surprising talent he'd picked up over the years). Patiently dealing with her mood swings which had her biting his head off one moment and jumping his bones the next. 

More than once she'd noticed him gently rubbing her belly when they were snuggled together and the little gesture made her heart simultaneously ache and rejoice. 

After the birth of Desiree and Chloe's announcement, this week reminded her, yet again, just how far behind her friends she felt in life.

She and Adrien had both declared they wanted children. Together. And she couldn't deny she was starting to want them even more than usual. Maybe it was all the new life in their little circle of friends, or maybe she was just starting to feel her clock ticking as she approached her 29th birthday. 

Or maybe, all the brushes with death she and Adrien had had recently as their alter egos, made her want to get as much out of this life as she could.

Glancing at her partner now, she again caught him staring at her still flat belly with something akin to longing and she reached up to softly caress his cheek, drawing his attention to her. 

"My lady?" his brows furrowed in concern as he scanned her face and she could only imagine what kind of expression she must've been wearing with the emotions coursing through her. She blinked several times as she felt her eyes begin to prickle with tears, making him frown even more.

"I love you, Chaton," she whispered.

 Immediately his feature softened. "I love you too, Princess."

"I-" she faltered. They may have already discussed starting a family already, but they had only technically been together for a few weeks. In any other relationship, it would seem way too soon to seriously consider such things. But this wasn't any other relationship and there was also still a small part of her that wasn't entirely convinced he wouldn't leave again. 

Not to mention, with everything happening with the shooter, and the rest of the team talking about hanging up their miraculous, it hardly seemed the appropriate time.

She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Never mind."

"What is it Mari? You can talk to me about anything. You know that don't you?"

Smiling, she stroked his face, tracing her fingers over his high cheekbones and into his golden hair. "Of course. I just- it's not the right time."

He continued to frown, opening his mouth to argue. 

"Later," she said quickly, before he could respond. "I'm not trying to keep anything from you, I promise. When all of this is over- when we're not in danger anymore... we'll talk about it then."

He studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Well, while we're on the subject of things better left for a later time, I have something else for you to consider."

She moaned in protest when the pressure form his hand left her as he rolled off the bed, and padded quietly out of the bedroom. 

A moment later, he returned, kneeling on the floor in front of her so they were eye to eye. He looked anxious all of a sudden and Marinette sat up on her elbows, brows furrowed. "Adrien?"

"You don't have to answer now," he blurted all of a sudden. "Like I said, I know this isn't really the right time, but it's been on my mind for a while now, and I just... want you to have time to consider. As much as you need."

When she pursed her lips in question, he held up a key. "Is that to your house?"

He nodded. 

"But... I mean, I appreciate it, but I don't really need one Chaton. Besides, we seem to spend most of our time here anyways." She had already had her assistant, Raquel, make a key for him earlier that week so no one would have to be bothered to let him in every time he showed up. Which was quite often. 

In fact, they hadn't been back to Adrien's house since the night she was shot. And besides, anytime she wanted to stop by his place, she could either get in as Ladybug, or his staff would allow her entry as Marinette.

"I know. It's - more symbolic than anything. I want you to know you're welcome anytime you please... What's mine is yours."

_Was he blushing?_

"Also... there's this." In his other hand he held up a small black box, and Marinette's eyes flared wide.

With a deep breath, and shaking hands, Adrien flipped it open, revealing a dainty gold ring set with a simple marquis diamond. Marinette's breath caught, her heart beating rapidly. 

"It was my mother's. I- I think she would've wanted you to have it." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "She would've loved you. I wish you could've met her."

Once again Marinette found herself blinking back tears. "I wish I could've too."

A long silence stretched between them as Adrien continued to kneel in front of her, barely able to hold her gaze. 

"Adrien..." she said slowly. "Are-are you... asking what I think you are?"

"...y-yes." he said finally, before rushing on. "But again, you don't have to answer now. You don't have to answer at all even. And no matter what, you can keep the ring. I could never give it to anyone else anyways, it belongs to you now. I just- I know I messed up before. I should've never left, I should've never walked away from you. That's a mistake I'll spend my entire life making up to you if I can. If you'll let me. I'm giving it to you now because I need you to know I'm not going anywhere. Ever again. I'm yours. For as long as you'll have me, my lady."

He looked at her with big, vulnerable, green eyes and she felt her heart expanding, like her soul was reaching out to him. Encouraging her, begging her to say yes.

"I... don't have an answer for you right now," she said haltingly, even as she sat up and pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly and she gazed at it a moment before returning her eyes to him. "But consider this a promise that I will. One day."

 

She watched as he nodded, seeming to blink back tears of his own. Swallowing thickly he whispered, "Ok," before setting aside the box and key and crawling back into bed with her as she held her arms open for him.

-

"-drien… _Adrien_."

Adrien blinked out of his daydream to refocus on Dr Laurent while Plagg snickered from his perch atop the filing cabinet. "Sorry. Did you ask me something?"

Dr. Laurent smiled kindly. "I was just observing that you seem happy. Things are going well with your... _friend_ , I take it? Marinette?"

"Oh, yeah. Things are great. Better than great. We were finally able to talk, really cleared the air between us and... we're... well, I'm not really sure what we are. Dating? Together? More than friends now at least."

"Well, that's great. What about your other friends?"

"They're doing well. Nino and Alya had their baby. Desiree." 

He smiled thinking of the little girl. Already her eyes were settling into a golden tone similar to her fathers, but her hair had a curl and reddish hue to it like her mother's. She still spent most of her time sleeping, but Adrien was already smitten with his little 'niece'. 

"She's perfect. Absolute angel." He chuckled thinking her poor sleep deprived mama would probably disagree at least some of the time. "Chloe and Nath announced they're having a baby as well. Little boy. Should be arriving sometime this fall."

"Chloe's come a long way from the selfish girl she used to be. She's really become part of the group now. Something my teenage self would think impossible. I'm proud of her."

"And your partner? I saw in the news she was shot, but I believe she'd been spotted on patrol since. I trust she's recovered?"

Adrien felt a chill crawl through him as he thought back to that night. Her pale face and blood stained suit as she lay lifeless in his arms. The hours he spent alternately pacing and sitting by her bedside while she healed.

"Yes," he said thickly. "She's recovered. Fit as ever, and still busting my balls. Thank God." He chuckled weakly. It had been a few weeks now, but it still sometimes seemed like just yesterday. 

He almost lost her that night. He knew it in the way Tikki had shaken and cried as she watched her charge cling to life. Tikki was also how he knew she would be well. The minute Marinette  had turned the corner and began truly healing, Tikki's whole being had sighed in relief, but Adrien hadn't allowed himself to feel relief until he'd seen those beautiful blue eyes again.

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm sure all of Paris is." Dr. Laurent spent a moment scribbling on his notepad before taking a charged breath and moved to the topic Adrien had been dreading. "What about your father? Have you given anymore consideration to what we discussed?"

Some time after Adrien had finally opened up about Gabriel and confessed that he hadn't spoken to him since the night of his arrest, Dr. Laurent had brought up the idea of seeking him out again. He had suggested that there were perhaps things Adrien needed to say, whether in person, or in a letter, that might provide him some closure. 

Adrien had said he would consider it, though he'd had no intention of doing any such thing. As far as Adrien was concerned, the day he had walked away from the man after he had been demasked was the best day of his life. The start of freedom.

"I think perhaps," he began carefully, though he knew the Dr. would recognize it for the evasion it was. "That's something best left until after this shooter is taken care of. The majority of the stress in my life has resolved so far, I don't want to add to it while we're still in danger."

Dr. Laurent. as expected, merely made a noncommittal noise and continued scribbling on his tablet. After a moment, he opened his mouth the speak again, but before he could, both Adrien and Plagg were at attention. If Adrien were transformed, he had no doubt both his ears and tail would be sticking straight up. 

"What is it?" Dr. Laurent asked, looking wary.

"Screams," Adrien breathed, as he strained to hear more.

"Kid, get up. We gotta go!" Plagg was suddenly in his face.

"Wha-" before Adrien could ask what Plagg had sensed, he was answered as the echo of distant gunfire reached him and felt the color drain from his face. "The shooter."

Dr. Laurent clutched his notepad tightly, looking ashen. 

"But why is he out now? It's the middle of the day. And who could he be shooting at?" Adrien asked Plagg. "He only ever fires at- Ladybug!"

"Go!" Dr. Laurent cried, shooing him towards the door. He shoved Adrien down the hallway pointing at a door at the end. "Staircase. Go. Quickly!"

Adrien didn't need to be told twice, sprinting down the hall towards the door the Dr. had indicated as Plagg zipped along beside him. 

"Plagg. Is- is she-"

"I don't know kid, but hurry up and transform so we can find out."

"Right." In a flash of green, he was clad in black leather, and using his baton to vault him to the railing on the next landing, leaping back and forth from floor to floor until he reached the roof and burst through the access door. 

It took less than a second to pin point the source of the chaos as he sprinted the several blocks that separated him from the shooter. A moment later, a blur of red swung above his head, landing beside him, and the racing of his heart slowed marginally. She was safe.

But if the shooter wasn't firing at her, then that meant-

" _Oh my God_ ," Ladybug cried as she ground to a halt. "He's shooting civilians!"

The duo exchanged quick panicked glances before doubling their efforts to reach the center of the city.


	18. Detonation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter ya'll!

Across town, two other members of team miraculous sat huddled in front of their TV watching the news cast of the square in front of Notre Dame. 

The gun fire was sporadic and seemed to be to be aimed more to both draw the attention of Paris’ Superhero duo and to keep everyone else away. The building had been undergoing the beginnings of restoration efforts and had been recently closed to visitors, but the famous cathedral still drew large crowds simply wanting pictures of the buildings facade.Police were already beginning to set up a barrier around the area but were keeping their distance.  A moment ago, Alya had spotted a flash of red and black land out of sight on a building nearby, but so far Ladybug and Chat Noir hadn’t made themselves known. 

The door to their townhome suddenly burst open and Chloé plowed in, Nathaneal trailing apologetically behind her. 

“Scooch,” she said, shooing Nino and Alya to the other end of the couch before plopping down next to them.

“Have you see them?” She asked, eyes glued to the screen. 

“Yeah," Alya responded.  "But they're staying hidden. I’m not sure what they’re doing. They need to get in there before someone gets hurt.”  

Nino sat with his arm around his wife’s shoulders as she held their sleeping daughter. “You know them. They’re probably analyzing the situation and trying to come up with a strategy.” 

So far, no one had been hurt yet. It seemed the shooter did not intend to actually harm any civilians, but there was no telling how long that would hold the longer it took for Ladybug and Chat Noir to show up. 

Chloe’s knee bounced nervously. “We should be out there with them.”

”You aren’t going anywhere,” her husband said emphatically. “Alya is still recovering and you now have more than just yourself to worry about Madame Kutzberg.” He gently laid a hand over her barely there belly to emphasize his point.

She huffed, pouting before slowly turning to Nino. “We may not be able to go but they could probably use a good shield don’t you think?”

Alya frowned, beginning to protest before Nino jumped in, agreeing with Chloe. “I know they told us to stay out of it but she’s right. They’ve both already been shot. They won’t be much use to anyone if they’re hit again.”

Alya continued to frown for a moment before sighing. “You’re probably right.”

Nino glanced at Wayzz to make sure he was good to go. “Ready when you are,” the tiny turtle said, zipping to attention. 

“Let’s go little dude.”

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir crouched on a rooftop across from the cathedral, careful to stay out of sight while they assessed the scene. 

Luckily, no one had been hurt so far. Perhaps the shooter only wanted to draw them out. Ladybug wasn’t keen to test that theory for long however. Her miraculous cure only worked on damage caused by the supernatural. The shooter, as far as they knew, was human. They would need to reveal themselves sooner rather than later. 

Someone landed behind them with a quiet thud, and Ladybug didn't need to look to know which of her teammates had joined them. "Go home Shelly. I told you to stay out of this. All of you."

Carapace scowled. "Don't call me that. And quit being so stubborn. You literally just recovered from almost dying the last time you were up against this guy. Of the five of us, I'm most likely the best protected. Take the help so we can finally nail this guy and end this. It's gone on far too long."

"LB," Chat interrupted before she could argue. "He's right. The extra protection this time could be the difference we need." Quieter, so only she could hear, he continued. "I almost lost you. I can't do that again. Please."

Ladybug pursed her lips, she hated putting anyone else she cared about in potential danger, but at Chat's earnest expression, relented.

"Good," Carapace nodded, moving closer to their position to share their view. "So, what's the plan? Can you see him?"

"No, not from this angle. We won't be able to spot him until we're physically facing him, but as soon as he sees us, he'll start shooting for real." Chat said, brows furrowed as he continued to scan the building in front of him. His head tilted to the side. "There's something else... something... not right."

He sniffed, his ears suddenly perking up. "Smoke." Just then, a flicker of orange caught his attention through one of the lower windows. "Dieu! The building's on fire!"

"We need to clear the area!" Ladybug cried, beginning to stand before Chat yanked her back down.

"No, you stay here. Call the fire department and keep planning. I'll draw the shooter's fire while Carapace helps clear out civilians. With any luck, he'll think Carapace is here because you're not available. It could buy us sometime."

"Chat-"

"I'll be fine my lady," he assured her, hands clamped steadily over her shoulders. "I know he's there and aiming for me this time, he's not taking us by surprise which is how he's always gotten us before. You just keep the brilliant mind of your focused, I'll feed you as much info as I can once I'm down there." He tapped the end of his baton and retrieved his ear piece, placing it I his ear. Carapace and Ladybug did the same.

"I don't like this plan," she said as he and Carapace prepared to descend to the street.

"I know, but it's the best we can do right now with such limited information. Once we know exactly where he is, we can come up with a plan to get him out of there and away from civilians, and then we can finally end this."

She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. She knew he was right, but she still didn't like him putting himself in harm's way for her. It was what he had always done she knew, but that didn't mean she was ok with it. Never really had been. With another small nod, they were off leaving her alone on the roof as she used her communicator to contact the fire department and alert them of the fire. Hopefully they would reach it before any lasting damage was done to one of Paris' most iconic establishments.

* * *

The crowd below began cheering when they caught sight of Carapace's green suit. He and the rest of Team Miraculous hadn't been seen in months, and they were undoubtedly expecting the rest of the crew to show up as well. 

While Carapace alerted the police officer's of the situation inside the building and began helping them push the crowd back, widening their barrier while they waited for the firetrucks to arrive, Chat landed in the middle of the square, as far away from the gawking bystanders as possible, immediately drawing the attention of the shooter. Twirling his baton in one hand, he wielded Carapace's shield in the other for protection. Dancing around the square, dodging a flurry of bullets, he quickly scanned the building's front, but it didn't take long to spot his target. 

"LB," he said, speaking into his earpiece. "He's at the top of the building, between the two towers."

"Roger that kitty."

"Also, my senses are stronger down here, that fire is growing. Quickly. You need to get him off that tower as soon as possible."

"On it. I'm coming around back, you should see me in a moment."

"Once you have him," Carapace's voice joined them over the coms, "get out of here. I'll catch up with you once the responders arrive and the area is safe."

"Heard Shelly," Chat replied with a smirk, earning him a growl. 

Just then, Ladybug appeared over the top of the building, landing next to the shooter. Her suit had evolved in style over the years, there was now more black to it than red, but it was still unmistakable. Chat watched from below as the gun fire in his direction was redirected at his lady. For a heart stopping moment he thought she'd been hit, but a second later, she had the man wrapped up in what looked like red and black spotted rope, and was swinging away, just as the smoke from the fire started to billow out from the building.

Tossing Carapace's shield back to him, he could hear the sound of sirens approaching as he vaulted out of the square, following his partner to a familiar warehouse rooftop. Dropping the man on the ground, Ladybug stepped back, dusting her hands together victoriously. "That was surprisingly easy."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the man, dressed in a dark hoodie and- was that? Yes it was. A mask - suddenly jumped to his feet, having escaped his bindings and pulled a handgun that had been strapped to his ankle. Chat and Ladybug dodged  for cover behind air vents and electrical boxes as the shooter proceeded to empty their gun. 

"Damn it," Ladybug muttered. "I knew I should've checked him for weapons first."

"How the hell did he even get out of the rope?" Chat wanted to know.

The shooter answered, approaching Chat's hiding spot as he reloaded. "I've been preparing for this for ten years. You really think I didn't learn any other tricks besides how to shoot a gun?" The voice was deep and gravely but oddly familiar. Chat couldn't place at the moment, too busy scrambling for a new place to hide. 

"Guys?" Carapace's worried voice trickled over the coms. "What's happening?"

"Slight problem," Ladybug muttered back. "The shooter escaped his bindings, and apparently had more guns on him that the rifle he had on the roof."

Carapace cursed. "We're almost done clearing the area. I've got your location, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Heard. Chat, keep him distracted. I have an idea."

"Why are you doing this?" Chat asked the shooter, drawing him in his direction.

"Isn't it obvious? I want your miraculous."

"Why? And why try to kill us? What are you hoping to gain from hurting us?"

"Not just from hurting you," he replied, firing off another shot, far too close to Chat's head for his liking. "Your deaths."

"Ok, yeah fine. Our deaths. But why?!"

"Because you ruined everything!" The man roared. And suddenly, his voice was as clear as day. Chat froze in place as the man continued raving. "You took her from me! Because of you, I lost my wife! My Emilie! I swore then you'd pay for ruining my plans. Today is that day little kitten."

All Chat could do was stare into the lifeless blue eyes of a man he hadn't seen in over 11 years as the barrel of a gun was pointed at his head. Before he could blink, a red fist shot out, cracking the man across the temple and forcing him to drop the gun. Still glued to the spot, he watched as the two engaged in a brief struggle before Ladybug managed to wrap the man up again, with her yo-yo this time, quickly checking him for, and removing several more weapons. 

"Phew," she sighed dramatically. "Good job kitty. Are-" her voice faltered as her eyes landed on her partner. "Chat? Are you alright?"

Chat hardly heard a word she said, barely even acknowledged her as he finally pulled himself from his shock, taking a tentative step forward.  _It couldn't be._ His heart was beating so hard in his chest he was half afraid it might explode. Cautiously, he approached the man who continued to curse and struggle, reaching a hand out towards his face. Ladybug called his name, but the sound was muted and garbled as though he were hearing it underwater. 

When he was standing a foot away, he ripped off the mask and hood in one quick movement, stumbling backwards as Ladybug gasped audibly, nearly losing her grip on the string of her yo-yo.

Shaggy, white hair, and an unkempt beard obscured the gaunt features of a man who looked to have aged a lifetime since they had last seen him, but there was no denying who knelt before them. 

"Gabriel?" Ladybug's voice was strangled and faint, while Chat seemed to have lost his.

The man snarled and thrashed, prompting Ladybug to tighten her grip, lest he escape again. 

"B-but- why? You were released early. You escaped what should have been a life sentence." Her voice grew stronger with every word until she was practically vibrating with anger. "You should have been rebuilding your life, not planning to destroy it again. Why would you do this?"

"It's all your fault. The two of you. A couple of selfish children. I lost my wife. My son lost his mother. Because of you. But I can fix it." His voice began to take on a manic, desperate quality. "Your miraculous combined give the wielder the ultimate power. With them, I can bring her back. I can save her!"

"...no you can't," Ladybug said with a hint of sympathy. "That's not how the power works. It can grant amazing wishes, yes, but It must maintain the balance. It doesn't have power over life and death."

"What do you know? You foolish girl, you know nothing!"

"I know," she said gently. "Because I have spent the last ten years studying the powers of the miraculous. Even all those years ago, they might not have been able to save your wife. Sir, I'm sorry, but it was no one's fault. Not ours, not yours, no ones."

_She was trying to reason with him? This madman?_

Now Chat was the one vibrating with anger. The man's mask still sat crumpled in Chat's fist, and he drew their attention to him, when he called forth his Cataclysm, turning the thing to dust. 

Ladybug's eyes widened, seeing the rage clearly written across his expression. "Chat, don't-"

But it was too late. Chat dropped his transformation, standing in front of his father as Adrien, wearing a mask of cold fury. "How _dare_ you," he spat at his father who had finally stopped struggling, watching him with wide, manic eyes.

"How dare you insult her memory like that? Was it not bad enough that you spent years terrorizing this city as Hawkmoth? You had to do it without a mask too? You really think this is what she would have wanted? Destroying your life, and the city, all for what? The sake of saving her life? If you truly believe that, then I doubt you ever really knew her at all, because the woman I remember would've been appalled. Absolutely ashamed of you... Just like I am."

Adrien could feel the figurative walls closing in around him. It was becoming harder to breath. Harder to keep control of himself. Before he did something he'd regret, he turned away from the man who had 'raised' him, away from his partner. Calling his transformation again, he leapt off the roof, without another word, ignoring his lady's cries behind him as he sped away.

* * *

Ladybug's earrings gave a final warning beep before her transformation disintegrated, the yo-yo she'd been using to to hold the shooter- Gabriel, disappearing along with it. Luckily, the man seemed to be as shocked as she was, and didn't move as they continued to watch him sprint away across rooftops. 

"Oh,  _shit..."_  

She silently agreed with Carapace as he approached her from behind. His voice seemed to snap Gabriel out of his shock, and he lunged for one of his discarded weapons. Before he could reach one however, Carapace's shield connected with the back of his head and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 

"Where'd he go?" he asked her.

She didn't need him to clarify who he meant, she simply nodded in the direction of Chat's disappearing figure, the weight of the diamond on her ring finger suddenly feeling a lot heavier.

"He left..." she whispered. "He's gone. Again."

 


	19. I’ll Come For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday!

"Mar... _Mari_."

Marinette shook off the fog that had descended around her mind as she watched her partner disappear into the distance and turned to her teammate. 

"Go after him."

"I can't," she said waving to herself as if to emphasize her human form. "He's too far gone now and I'd never catch him as me. I'm not sure he wants me to catch him anyways." She cringed internally at the bitterness in her voice. 

As much as she had wanted to believe they were past all this, that he had meant it when he gave her the ring on her finger, she couldn't help feeling like the same girl who'd stood on a rooftop a dozen years ago, realizing her partner had left her behind. 

"Mari, come on. You know that's not true. He's not running away again. It was a knee jerk reaction. Shock. He'll calm down soon enough, and when he does, he shouldn't be alone. He's learned his lesson, trust me. He knows running won't solve anything. He needs you." Carapace laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, warm, golden eyes boring into hers. "Go after him."

"B-but-I-" she gestured helplessly. "He could be anywhere."

"If anyone can find him, you can LB."

"But how? I can't transform right now, and we're so far out of the city, it would take forever to get close enough to catch a cab."

"So you wait a moment until Tikki is ready again." Said kwami was already busily munching on a cookie she'd pulled from Marinette purse, nodding silently in agreement. "I just want to make sure you're not going to give up on him so easy."

She stared hard at her teammate, reading the sincerity and anxiety in his expression. "You really think he's not gone again?"

"Yes," he said simply. "I believe in him. He needs you to believe in him too. He may never admit it, but his biggest fear has always been that you didn't have faith in him. Not like he's always had in you." 

"I know he's done things to make you lose some of that faith, but the thing about faith is it isn't always given because we deserve it. Sometimes it's because we need it. And sometimes, we earn it _because_ it was given so freely. He wants to be worthy. You can show him that he can be. With a little faith."

Marinette hung her head, sighing heavily. "You don't play fair."

Carapace shrugged apologetically. "Someone has to be the voice of reason in this group. You're our Lady Justice, it's your job to be merciful when needed. Sometimes, the best way for someone to prove they deserve a second chance, is to give them one."

The ring she had been absently playing with glinted in the light. She gazed at it, realizing that her heart had already decided to give him another chance. She just needed her brain to come to the same conclusion. 

She nodded to herself. a determined expression taking over her features as she lifted her head again. Carapace smiled, knowing she'd made up her mind. and Tikki floated silently nearby, ready and waiting. 

"What about him?" Marinette asked, waving to a still unconscious Gabriel. 

"Oh don't worry. I notified the authorities on my way over. They should be here any moment." Just then the sound of sirens growing closer could be heard. "I can handle this, LB. Just go find our lost kitten."

"Right," she nodded again, taking a deep breath. "Tikki!"

* * *

Several hours later, Ladybug perched atop the Eiffel tower as the sun began it's descent. She watched the smoke still billowing from the partially destroyed cathedral with a heavy heart. So much tragedy. Too much for one day, though luckily, no one had been hurt. At least not physically. 

Firefighters had managed to douse the flames that had engulfed the church, but not before the spire had collapsed, and the inside of the beautiful building had been charred. It was pure luck, no one had been caught inside, and authorities still weren't sure what had started the fire, though an investigation was already underway. 

All in all, today should have been counted a win, though it didn't feel like one. The shooter had been caught. There was one less threat to the citizens of Paris. Ladybug and Chat Noir were victorious once again, though she couldn't help feeling they had lost something important today as well.

She'd spent hours searching the city and had been unable to find any sign of Adrien or Chat Noir. He hadn't gone home, and his things were untouched. That at least, eased her mind a little. He wouldn't leave empty handed would he?

She circled through their favorite haunts around the city, but he was nowhere to be found. She'd been sitting here among the iron tiers for sometime now, hoping he would perhaps come to her, but so far, nothing. 

She remained where she was, watching the shifting of colors in the sky until the last of the sun's light faded before she finally stood to head home. As she swung over rooftops, she once again wracked her brain, trying to determine where he might have gone.

Landing quietly through an open window in Adrien's bedroom, she quickly searched the mansion again, hoping he may have finally come home now that it was dark, but the house remained as still and empty as it had been hours ago.

Swallowing back her tears and worry, she headed home, feeling suddenly exhausted. She was covered in sweat and smoke and she hadn't eaten or drank anything in hours. She would go home, refuel, and then perhaps recruit the rest of her team to help her search.

She was so distracted by her thoughts, that it wasn't until after she'd landed inside her own room, and detransformed that she noticed the figure huddled in the corner. She nearly jumped out of her skin before she recognized the mop of blonde hair, and then she nearly fainted in relief. 

He was ok. Nino had been right, he hadn't run. 

"Adrien," she sighed, approaching carefully, her chest tight with anxiety. "How long have you been here?"

He sat with his back against the wall, arms resting on bent knees, staring at the floor. "A few hours?" he said quietly. "I ran until my transformation ran out then wandered around until I found my way here. Didn't even know where I was going until I was standing at the door."

His voice was low and oddly calm as he spoke, though he didn't lift his face to look at her, continuing to stare a hole into her floor. She glanced around, spotting Plagg as he sat on her nightstand, watching his chosen, ears drooping sadly. Tikki had perched beside him, and upon seeing Marinette's expression, quietly lead him from the room.

Marinette continued moving towards Adrien, who didn't move an inch as she carefully knelt in front of him. When she was on his level, she reached out hesitantly to touch his face, careful not to spook him, and gently tilted his chin up to look at her.

When she saw the puffy, redness around his eyes, she choked back a sob. Her heart ached for the sadness and confusion in his expression. The look of loss that seemed to ask her _why? Why me?_  

Inching forward, she opened her arms to him, and without hesitation, he crushed her to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She felt his hands fist in her shirt as he clung to her, taking sharp, unsteady breaths, like he was in pain. 

She held him like that without saying a word until she felt some of the tension begin to ease out of his shoulders, and resettled herself more comfortably in his arms. 

The quiet moment was abruptly interrupted when both of their stomachs began to rumble. They both chuckled tiredly, finally pulling apart. Marinette stood and held her hand out to Adrien, helping him up as well. "Come kitty. Let's take care of you."

* * *

Marinette kept true to her word to take care of him, not that Adrien complained. After making them a quick meal of cold meats, cheese and bread, as well as some tea, she drew them both a bath. 

Adrien had quietly submitted as she undressed him, and climbed in behind him, helping to wash away the emotion of the day with her gentle hands. He'd practically started purring when she washed his hair, massaging his scalp and seeming to draw out any remaining tension with her magic fingers. 

He almost fell asleep as he lay in bed, his head resting on her stomach while she played with his hair, when she finally spoke. 

"Why did you come here chaton? I spent hours looking for you. I went to the mansion twice thinking you would eventually go home. Why here?"

Adrien opened his eyes slowly, frowning. Pulling his arms out from around her waist, he propped himself on his elbows above her, looking down at her. _Did she really not know?_

Big blue eyes blinking back at him with curiosity and a bit of vulnerability he didn't often see from her. Brushing her bangs out of her eyes, he cupped the side of her face. "My lady, the mansion may be where I live, but it hasn't been my home in a long time. Not since my mother lived there."

He swallowed thickly, holding her gaze and willing her to understand. "These days, my home... is wherever you are. So, yes, I did come home."

He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away a tear and kissed her softly. His heart seemed to alternately squeeze and expand as that same sensation of coming home that he'd felt their first night together returned. 

"I love you Marinette Dupain-Cheng. With everything I am." He locked gazes with her again, green eyes to blue. "Whatever that may be worth to you. I love you."

In lieu of responding, she pulled him down to her, shifting to cradle his body between her hips, and spent the night showing, rather than telling him what that was worth to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eek. We’re getting near the end. For those of you who’ve been reading and commenting since the beginning thank you so much for all you’re support. I hope you’ve all been enjoying the story as much as me and thank you so much for all your patience. You’re the bestest!


	20. Epilogue - Always

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oy... bear with me cuz I cried through writing most of this.   
> Also, beware that there is a **very** abrupt change of tone at the break lol

Adrien took several measured breaths, counting slowly through each to keep his anxiety in check. His eyes remained closed as he focused on the sounds around him. The clicking and buzzing of electronic locks, heavy metal doors, rhythmic footsteps, his own measured breathing. 

He felt a delicate hand land on his bouncing knee and he forced himself to still, shifting in the stiff metal chair in which he sat.

"It's not too late Adrien," Marinette said quietly beside him. "You don't have to do this yet if you're still not ready. You don't have to do it at all if you don't want to."

"No," he said softly, but firmly. He uncrossed his arms and laid his hand over hers, smiling when he felt the press of her wedding ring in his palm. Opening his eyes, he turned to her concerned face. "This is long overdue. I'm nervous, yes, and very uncomfortable, but I'll probably never really be ready, so might as well do it while I actually have the nerve. I need to do this. For me."

She turned her hand over in his, lacing their fingers together and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Ok. Just remember, I'm with you. You're not alone."

He squeezed her hand back, giving her a small, grateful smile. 

They may have retired their superhero personas, (in public at least), but they were still a team. Now though, they had a legal document and a shared name to prove it.

 

When Gabriel had been taken into custody for the second time, Chat Noir and Ladybug had opted to stay out of the public light as much as possible. They both agreed to give video testimonies, however, as did the rest of their teammates, and luckily, the defense didn't bother putting up an argument. 

Adrien had been afraid they might try some kind of insanity plea, which would have dragged them all back through the courts again for months of trial, but instead, Gabriel had quietly accepted a plea bargain which would keep him in custody for the rest of his life, but in a facility where he could get the mental help, and grief counseling that he so obviously needed.

Not long after, Team Miraculous officially announced their retirement, citing their faith in Paris' police force to keep the city safe, and assuring the citizens that all of the miraculous were well guarded, and that if they should ever be needed again, there would always be wielders to answer the call. Even if they weren't the same ones.

Adrien had also announced his official retirement from modeling amongst a renewed interest in his father and family. Moirai was happy to terminate his contract without much fuss, also hoping to minimize any possible damage to their brand through their connection to Gabriel through Adrien. 

Marinette had promised that if he ever decided to get back into modeling after the hype died down again, she'd be happy to have him model for her growing line. After much thought, and consultation with Dr Laurent however, Adrien decided it was time to close that chapter of his life. He wanted to spend time pursuing his own passions for once, and was even considering going to university to finish his education. 

After so many years apart, Adrien and Marinette had decided they didn't want to wait any longer to start their lives together. A few weeks later, they married quietly in a private ceremony attended only by Marinette's parents and the rest of their teammates. 

They started trying to get pregnant right away, but thus far, hadn't had much luck.

With his father back in jail, and the events of the last few months still haunting him, Adrien moved out of the mansion and into Marinette's apartment. They debated what to do with it for a while before ultimately decided to personally exorcise the ghosts still roaming it's halls. 

Renovations began immediately to redesign every inch of the house, making it their own. A place that would, from now on, only be filled with happy memories. Their memories.

Adrien liked to think his mother would have approved of his decision.

 

Adrien was pulled from his musings when the door to the small room they waited in opened and a guard ushered in his father, guiding him to the chair across the table from them before leaving them alone. 

He took a moment to appraise the man before him, whom he hadn't seen in a year, since he'd been arrested, and for nearly a dozen years before that. He looked... different, though Adrien couldn't immediately explain why.

He looked healthier, for certain. The color had returned to his skin and his face had filled out again from the gaunt, almost skeletal look it had a year ago. From what Adrien had been told, Gabriel had been attending counseling regularly and was making slow, but steady progress. 

When he finally lifted his face to him, Adrien saw more life in his father's eyes than he had since he was a child. Despite all the negative emotions that still swirled within him in regards to this man, he couldn't help but feel relieved that he seemed to finally be finding some kind of peace. 

"Adrien," he said with a nod and what Adrien could almost imagine was affection. 

"Father."

Gabriel turned to Marinette, nodding respectfully. "Madame."

"Monsieur."

"I understand congratulations are in order?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow, looking to their joined hands. 

Adrien's heart quickened as he carefully raised Marinette's hand for him to see. When he noticed the ring, his mother's ring, a sad smile and distant expression overtook his father's face, his eyes becoming suspiciously glassy. It was more emotion that he could remember seeing from the man in a very long time. 

"I know we don't know each other... may never know each other, but I'm sure Emilie would have wanted that to belong to you, my dear." The distant look melted away, though he continued to smile as he looked between the two of them. "I'm glad my son has found a companion."

His smile faltered, as his eyes grew even shinier and he looked away, blinking several times. Swallowing thickly, he spoke again. 

"Adrien- I know, there are no words that could ever make amends for... everything we've been through. Everything _I_ have put you through..."

His eyes darted to Adrien and away again, his hand wringing together in his lap. 

"The deterioration of this family, of our relationship, is entirely my own fault. I won't attempt to say I'm sorry, because I know it isn't enough... but I am. More than you will ever know."

Adrien and Marinette both remained silent, allowing him to speak. For his part, Adrien was shocked he was speaking at all; let alone acknowledging his mistakes and apologizing, however inadequately. 

Gabriel shifted in his seat, taking a deep breath as he sat up straighter. "I've taken a good look at myself, and my actions and I'm- _disturbed_ , to say the least, by the choices I have made. As much as I would like to repair what I have broken, I know there are some things can never really be fixed. At least not enough to make them what they were before."

He found the courage to look his son in the eye again, holding his gaze though it waivered slightly. Adrien felt as though the air had been stolen from his lungs as he registered the raw emotion and sincerity in that ice blue stare.

"I missed so much of your life. Not just because I was- _in here_ , but because I chose to distance myself from you at a time when I should have been holding you closer." His voice broke slightly, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "I don't expect us to ever have a relationship again. I know I don't deserve it, and I don't at all blame you if you choose to cut me out of your life permanently."

Adrien felt another squeeze of his hand, as he blinked away the tears blurring his vision. From the corner of his eye, he could see his wife crying silently. _His wife._ It had been almost a year since they'd said their vows, and yet, it still seemed so unreal to him sometimes.

"I am however," Gabriel continued, drawing his attention again, "very grateful for the chance to tell you this: I cannot excuse any of our past, and I won't attempt to. But, you are, and always will be my son. A small part of my Emilie still gracing the earth with her presence. "

Adrien's throat tightened and he struggled to breath as a tear finally escaped, falling down his cheek. 

"I never said so before, but I am _so_ proud of the man you have become, a far better one than I could ever hope to be. Your mother would have been proud of you too, and I wish beyond anything that she were still here to see it.

"I also hope, that my actions don't cause you to fear becoming a father. You could never be me; you're too much like your mother. Which is how I know, that you will be..." a wry smile touched his lips. "miraculous. So long as you continue to allow those around you to influence you for the better."

"I don't want my past to taint your future. So, if I never see you again, know that, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you nothing but joy and love. More than I could give you and as much as you can stand."

The damn broke then, all three of them releasing the tears and emotions they'd been holding back the entire visit. In the moment, Adrien realized this was exactly the closure he had needed. He knew he would never have a relationship with his father again, there was too much damage to ever fully repair, but he'd finally let go of all the anger, guilt, and sadness he'd been harboring for so long.

He'd finally forgiven him. 

"Thank you," he said shakily, reaching his hand across the table. 

"No, son. Thank you."

His father took his hand, squeezing tightly with a pained smile, before rising from his seat and turning to the door. As he waited for the guard to answer the door and return him to his cell,  he looked over his shoulder at his son one last time. 

"Goodbye, Adrien."

"Goodbye, father."

He watched as his father disappeared, leaning into Marinette as she wrapped her arms around him. The guards gave them a moment to collect themselves in private before leading them back to the prison gates.

* * *

Adrien bit back a groan as he knelt on the floor of their newly installed playroom a few weeks later, watching as his wife sauntered across the velvety soft carpet towards him. 

She'd surprised him for their anniversary by blindfolding him and leading him here after dinner. Some time ago, she'd finally agreed to indulge a long time fantasy and take on the roll of dom. They'd both enjoyed it far more than expected, and now and again switched out their roles as the mood struck them. He was ecstatic the mood had struck her tonight.

After securing the padded leather collar she'd made for him around his neck, and attaching a thin, chain leash, she'd instructed him to strip, kneel and wait for her. He'd practically drooled in anticipation while she disappeared into the small closet they used to store toys and costumes. When she finally reappeared, his heart momentarily stopped.

She was clad head to toe in black; thigh-high leather boots, a studded leather corset, and long gloves. She'd allowed the extra long ties of her corset to hang down between her legs like a tail, also donning a black leather mask, topped with cat ears.

He couldn't remember if he'd ever shared with her his fantasies of her in his cat suit, but was, not for the first time, ridiculously glad to be married to such a talented and imaginative seamstress. The outfit she designed was far superior to anything his mind could have conjured. 

A playful smile graced her painted, red lips as she approached, softly tapping the tip of a riding crop against her calf with each step. His lips parted on a pant as he watched her hips sway back and forth. She was utterly mesmerizing. 

When she reached him, she ran a gloved hand through his hair, down the back of his neck and around his collar until she found the leash. Wrapping it around her hand a few times, she bent down, gently tugging so his head tipped back to look at her.

Running her tongue along his cheek, she nipped at the tip of his nose with her teeth, smirking. "What's the matter kitty? Cat got your tongue?"

In response, a needy moan escaped the back of his throat.

Nuzzling his cheek, she tightened her grip on his collar, tugging him closer as she claimed a kiss. When she finally pulled back, he was dazed and breathless, wondering for the thousandth time how he'd ever gotten so lucky.

She stood, winding the leash until she held just the end, and took a step back. Placing the tip of the riding crop under his chin, she kept his face tilted up to her. "Eyes on me kitty."

He licked his lips, forcing himself to focus on her through his haze of lust. 

"Words?"  
"Yellow. Mercy."

"Good boy," she purred, trailing the soft leather tip down his throat, and across his chest. He twitched as she found the ticklish spot on the side of his stomach, causing her to grin. "You ready chaton?"

"Yes, my lady," he panted, trying not to squirm. 

Unexpectedly, she froze, an unreadable expression crossing her features before it cleared. She bit her lip, looking him in the eye. "Actually.... we may need to find a new name for you to call me."

Adrien frowned. "Why? You don't like it anymore?" The thought saddened him. That had been his name for her nearly since the day they met.

"No," she said, stepping closer and caressing his cheek with a soft smile. "I love it. But, in about-" she tilted her head in thought. "- six months or so, there's a 50% chance there will be a new lady in your life...."

She trailed off, looking down at him with a nervous but expectant expression.

He blinked a few times before her meaning registered, his gaze dropping to her still flat stomach before flicking back to her face. Hope and excitement filled his chest as she nodded, grinning beautifully. 

A half sob, half laugh escaped him, and only the strict discipline that controlled him in this room kept his hands at his sides, though he longed to reach for her. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to touch her yet, though his mind reasoned it would likely be worth whatever punishment he might receive. 

She must have seen his struggle, for she laughed, the light melodic sound he always associated with pure joy. "It's ok, kitty. We haven't started yet."

Instantly his hands were on her hips, fingers digging in as he tugged her closer and pressed kisses all over her abdomen, ignoring the metal studs that would probably bruise his lips. He was far too happy to care right now. 

Above him, Marinette giggled, weaving her fingers through his hair, the pads of her fingers massaging his scalp. A contented purr rumbled through his chest, surprising them both. He hadn't done that in a long time.

Resting his chin on her stomach, he looked up at her, filled to the brim with love and awe. Even with the mask on, her face seemed to glow, and he felt a stirring of pride to know it was his child- _their_ child that caused it. 

"Are you happy Chaton?"

"Oh, my lady... more than you can know." His hands tightened slightly around her hips as he grinned at her. "And if we are blessed with a little girl, then she'll be my new _princess_. Because you, will always be my lady."

Her eyes glistened as she smiled back at him before clearing her throat and stepping back from him, slipping back into character. She patted the underside of his chin with the riding crop and he forced himself to resume his previously submissive position. 

Neither could entirely hide their grin though, as they gazed at each other, dom to sub, master to lover, but always partners. 

"Well, chaton, I hope you're ready, because your lady needs you to love her."

Adrien grinned, falling to his hands and knees and crawling towards her as she gently tugged his leash and lead him back until she sank down onto a plush red chaise and he sidled up between her knees. "With pleasure, my lady."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this might feel a bit disjointed but I still think it’s a fitting ending to this saga.   
> This was, after all a redemption story so it made sense to me to give Hawkdaddy a little redemption of his own.   
> I also think the end scene with Mari and Adrien really showcases how much their relationship has evolved from the beginning to a point of complete trust. 
> 
> For those who’ve been following from the beginning and generously leaving comments along the way, thank you so much for all your positives responses and feedback. I hope you all enjoyed it!


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